


Sheer Madness

by Jjayxx



Series: Madness Series [1]
Category: Sheer Madness
Genre: Gen, Good and Evil, Love Potion/Spell, Supernatural World, powers, spell casting, teleporting, transporting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-07
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2017-12-31 18:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 39,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1034911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jjayxx/pseuds/Jjayxx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So I’m Sheer and this is my story and it’s about my life and how it’s going from supernaturally normal to supernaturally messed up and it’s still not improving, so what happens when something unexpected happens and the blame falls on me—And I have to think about school and family problems and my future and I have one of the biggest choices of my life to make—becoming a ‘Special’ or being turned evil by the ‘Wicked’s’, and fighting them off at every turn of my head—and if you think that’s difficult, I still have to hide secrets that I should know nothing about and that I shouldn't even know exist and I swear after that nothing gets easier.<br/>Well, here I go... Please wish me luck I’m gonna need it...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, yes I used certain material from Van Helsing, Frankenstein etc. But they fit perfectly for this story. Those movie characters are not mine, and are rarely mentioned on this story, but everyone else is of my own creative mind.

Name: Sheerness Madness

  
Nicknames: Sheer, Sheery

  
Age: 17 years old

  
Height: 5'8 ft.

  
Traits: (Special and Mad Hattress): ginger, dark hazel eyes

  
Bio: Sheerness lives in an entirely different world from humans called Jaraki. (Jah-rah-kai)

  
Her father once told her that she had many traits from my grandmother, including her fiery red hair and her freckles. Her mother and younger brother had raven black hair, he clearly inherited it from her. Her father had rich chocolate brown hair, which one of her eldest sisters inherited. Her baby sister Sweetness wasn't born with, brown, red or black hair—she's platinum—which is rarely seen around since most of the platinum's are expired. They haven't been told anything about her traits or the family connection behind it, but she will definitely become a Unique.

  
Sheerness has two best friends, Selene Dracula, and Frank Steiner. Count Vladislaus Dracula and his three wives are indeed Selena's parents; her mothers are Marishka, Aleera and Verona. The fourth wife Domini died from health complications many years before Selene's birth, her human body not being strong enough and she denied being immortal, dying a human death and being buried on earth. After her death her son, and Selene's older brother Janus was raised by the three other wives of Vlad.

  
Franklin and Maria Shelling Steiner are Frank's parents, no his skin is not green or yellow, he's just a smidge paler than most.

  
The three attend a school with ghouls, magical happenings, and mythical beings called Atterie Wickers High, which is honor to Attarieis Keller the late founder of where Sheerness lives Yonder bay Hills. The school specializes in teaching and training the youth to use and control their powers until their 'special powers or skills' come in, then they get placed into proper high-level classes for their class, Special's, Unique's, Wicked's Monster's, or Castor's etc.  
So anyways, enough with the school ramblings, I have to go, but I have one question for you.  
"Do you know how mad someone can get by just a sheer slither of annoyance?"


	2. Beyond surreal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares wake her with questions that don't have answers.

_The air was thick with black smoke, nothing being visible as Sheerness strained to see through the fog. She coughed; the air was getting thicker, choking her as she tried to get away. There was no exit in sight, her eyes burnt. Her head was beginning to spin and her equilibrium was becoming unsteady. She squeezed her eyes, the burn unbearable. She cough again, covering her mouth with her hand... the coppery tinge she tasted scared her. Her squinted eyes looked down at her hand to see blood on her tan skin. She coughed again, her eyes still burnt and she was getting weaker, it was getting harder to walk and she stumbled over something hard. Her toe cried in pain. “Help…” she tried, her throat dry. She reached up, her eyes widened when the outline of red eyes came into view._   
_She was trying to scream, but she couldn’t her body weak, her throat dry and her will to stay awake fleeted away. Before she blacked out, the eyes rushed her, sharp stark fangs as clear as day opened up to consume her…_

  
**'Ahhhhhhhhhhh!'**

  
“Whoa!” Sheer yelped as she fell off the bed—hitting her forehead in the process as she fought her way out of her entanglement of her bed sheets. She broke free from the linens and got blasted with a wail of wild holler beast. After being awakened so abruptly by that nightmare, her infuriating alarm clock busy had to go off at that exact moment. "Shut up!" she grounded, as she slammed her palm down on the snooze button. "Dumb clock." she grumbles and feels a pang of pain surge through her skull. “Oww…” she shoved away her sheets and stood up as she rubbed her forehead.  
Her mother appeared within Sheerness' bedroom on a fright. "Who's getting murdered? I heard screaming."  
“It was my alarm clock mom.” she answered, as she sat back on her bed.  
“Oh, but I heard you screaming too… Did you have a night terror?” she looked up to her mother, her usual dark irises seeming lighter than normal; which sent a panic through her. Sheerness didn't want to tell her mother about her dream, because she couldn't even understand it herself.  
“Sheerness… You know you can talk to me about anything you want, right?” she bit her lip, not knowing how to have this conversation. Her mother sighed. “Whenever you're ready, I’ll always be here for you." Sheerness nodded at her mother. “Well, since you’re awake, why don’t you come downstairs and help me with something, okay.” She said with a smile. Her youth grace settled Sheerness’ nerves before she vanished from her daughter's bedroom, before Sheerness could even refuse her request. It was no use now, she was gone.  
She sighed in frustration and flopped back onto her bed. She snatched a pillow up and covered her face with it as she yelled into its soft material. Her mother is a seer, meaning she came see into the future and see the past; she reads memories and is also a castor who can cast just about any spell. She was powerful woman, but Sheerness rather not have her mother prying through her head. No one wants that and she definitely didn't.  
A soft knock came from her closed bedroom door. "Hey sis can I come in?" Sheerness recognized the voice of her young sister Sweetness and sighed into the pillow.  
"Yeah why not?" she answered, since the pillow was over her face, her words came out muffled, but it seems as though she heard her because the door was being opened and Sheerness felt as Sweetness plopped her tone little behind down on the bed next to her on the bed.  
"Umm, Sheerness are you okay?" she asked curiously.  
"Yeah," Sheer mumbled  
"Okay, so why do you have the pillow over your beautifully flawless features?" she cooed amiably.  
"Okay what do you want Sweetness?" Sheer asked as she shoved the pillow off of her face and snapped up to a sitting position.  
"What do you mean sis, I'm just being nice to you, that's all."  
"Yeah, that's the point, you're being nice. You want something from me, so spill it now or I'll make you." She commanded sternly.  
"I don't know what you're talking about Sheer—." She cut herself off as she looked up and saw how Sheer was glaring at her. "Okay," she started—pausing as she sighed to looked up at her older sister again, then crossed her leg over her other leg as she continued, "So you know that mom and dad are gonna be out of town for a few days right?" she asked.  
"Yeah." Sheer answered slowly stretching out the word.  
"Good so do you think that I can probably have you, help me set up a date for me?" she asked shyly.  
"Oh no, no, no and no, not me, not again I got three days in the room of mirrors for you, I'm not gonna help you do something mom and dad don't know about. It's not worth it Sweetness."  
"But—."  
"But nothing Sweet, dad said if I helped you do anything without their knowledge, and they found out again, that I'll serve three weeks in the room of mirrors instead of three days so no, I will not help you. Find some other joker that'll help you with your wild plans."  
"Aww, come on please Sheer, help me." She pleads as she shakes Sheer's arm vigorously.  
"Ouch, ok stop it!" Sheer shouted as she yanked her arm away from her. "I will not help you, so stop trying Sweetness Madness!"  
She gasps and the pouted sadly. "Sheery... I just wanted to have a little fun and I wanted my favorite big sister to help me." She says as she sniffles sorrowfully at Sheer.  
"Oh stop it please Sweet." She said tiredly, but she didn't stop sniffling or rubbing at her eyes. "Okay, okay I'll do it, but I swear kid if I get caught, I'm pinning the whole thing on you, got it?" she ordered pointing a strict finger at her sister.  
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you Sheeness." She cried as she threw her arms around Sheer's neck.  
"Oh hush. Thank me when this is over and done and we're both out of harm's way." She tell her as she untangle Sweetness' arms from around her neck.  
"Why couldn't you just ask Lust instead, she's much sneakier than any of us?" she suggested, rising from her disheveled bed.  
"Because, her sneakiness always comes with a price; and I still owe her from last time, remember?" she reminds Sheer.  
"Oh yeah. Actually, I still owe her too." She said, with a fist on her hip as she chewed at her dry bottom lip. "Okay, so I'll help you, now leave my room, go on, shoo."  
"Okay, okay sheesh, I'm going." She says as Sheer practically pushes her out of her room.  
'Answer the phone! Answer the phone! Answer the phone!' Sheer's cell cried out. She shut the door with a loud slam, and ran back to her bed, where she hopped onto of the messy covers of the bed—landing on her butt. She then shoved her hands under the pillows and dug out the ringing cell from under the confines of her pillows. 'Hello?' she pants into the phone, once she's answered it and gets an uncanny out reply.  
'Gosh, Sheery you sound like you had to run a thousand miles a second to get the phone.' Frankie states.  
'Oh shut up Stein, and I did have to run for the phone.' She told him matter-of-factly.  
'So what are you doing?'  
'Nothing now, but my mom wants me to help her do something downstairs.' She explained.  
'What does she want you to do?' he asked curiously.  
Sheer asked as she turned to lie on her belly with her feet up in the air. 'Beats the hex out of me. So Frankie what are you up to?'  
‘Oh, I’m just at home. I’m kinda bored though and I wanted to know if you’d want to out…’  
‘So, you were sort of bored, so you called me up to ask me to go do stuff together?’  
‘Yeah." He said cautiously.  
‘Hmm, why not call Selene?" she asked, knowing what his reply would be.  
‘Umm…’ Sheer was giggling her head off at Frank’s hesitation and waited for his reply. ‘Oh my Gods, Frankie chill, its ok. I was just playing around.’ There was a short pause. ‘Frankie, are you there?’ she asked. She glanced at her phone to make sure that the connection hadn’t been dropped then called for him again.  
‘I’m here, I was just checking to make sure no one was listening. Anyways, I wanted to know if you’d want to come with me to the human world.’ He voice dropped and so did Sheer’s heart.  
‘The human world?!’ Sheer whisper yelled back into the phone a tad too loudly, ‘Are you crazy Frankie—we could get caught.'  
‘I know it sounds crazy but come on you never used to act like that before.’ He smart talked.  
‘Yeah, but that was before I got locked up in The Room of freaking Mirrors Frankie! Besides, we could just go there when it's Spring Breaking.’  
‘It'll be too crowded—now please Sheery. Please come on, do this for us Sheerypie.’ He cooed.  
‘Quit calling me that Frankie.’ she complained, Frank spontaneously burst into laughter on the other side of the phone Sheer refrained herself from calling him a bad word as he laughed on.  
‘You want something to laugh at genius? Well laugh at this, why don’t you.’ She grumbled tightly as she ended the call and threw her cell across the room. It hit the wall with a hard thump and fell down into the plush bean bag by her bookshelf.  
She turned onto her back and sighed letting her eyes slid close as she thought about Frank’s proposal. Sheer sat up and combed her fingers down through her long thick curls. She slid off the bed and slipped off her ordinary pair of slippers and exchanged them for her soft, comfy bedroom slippers. She stood and watched towards the full length mirror next to the window. She looked down at what she was wearing and tilted her head to the right in thought. She was dressed in black short shorts and a matching tank top, designed with tiny purple skulls. Eh, I'm good enough, it's not like I'm going out or anything. She thought as she smiled to her reflection.  
Sheer walked over to the door then stopped, feeling a cool chill ran down her spine. She brushed it off and pulled open the door and made her way downstairs so that she could help her mother.


	3. Frankie's Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheer wants to know what Frank knows about 'the door'.

~ Sheer's POV~

I sat against my bedroom door, while a very quiet and distance Frank Stein sits infront of me.

"Are you going to tell me what's with the weird behavior or I'm I going to have to use a potion on you?"

"Sheer, I don't know what you're talking about." He said playing coy. I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Frankie please, why were you so distant when you heard me talk about the damned door!" I whisper yelled.

"IT'S NOTHING! OKAY I—know nothing." He shouted, and then softens his voice as he noticed that he got loud. "Sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice at you." He apologized.

"Tell me what you know about the door Frankie."

He sighs, as he scoots close to me, so that he could rest his back against the door. "It was back when we were eight." Frankie starts off.  


 

_Flashback_

_I was at my father's office drawing sketches, when I heard a commotion coming from down the hall, it was near impossible not to hear, and it kind of drove a lot of attention in the direction of my father's medical office—where he took care of his patients._

_I stopped drawing and ran to the door of the room I was in. I slowly moved the door open inch by precious inch and pushed it open fully and made my way down the hallway, but I made sure that I wasn't seen, since I was a bit tall for my age. It made it harder to move around undetected._

_I had finally gotten to my father's medical office door—whichh was slightly open a crack, I peeked in to see your father now silently bickering with father about you, and you needing hypnotherapy, while your mother was sitting down with her leg crossed over the other, while her leg twitched impatiently. I was very curious to what was happening in there, but I didn't want to get caught. And just when I was about to turn around and go back into my father's office I ran into you._

_You looked so bleak and distant, so out of it. "Hey Frankie," you greeted in such a weak and semi-distracted voice. I didn't want us to get caught so I held up a finger to my lips and told you to follow me. You nodded and I grasped your wrist and tugged at you to follow me into my father's office._

_When we got into the office I silently closed the door behind me and sat you down on one of the chairs that were seated infront of my father's large oak wood desk._

_"Sheery, what's going on why is your father bickering with my father?" I asked touching my hand to your cheek, you flinch away slightly and I wince as my heart skipped a beat at your reaction. You were cold, very cold. "S—sorry, I didn't mean to."_

_I nodded. "I don't know why they're fighting, but it has something to do with me." You answered._

_"What happened to you Sheery? Did someone harm you?" I asked sitting with my legs folded and turning to look at you with a wary gaze._

_"I—it—I accidentally went down into the basement to look for my parents—."_

_"But Sheery, your parents warned you about going into there." I told you, trying to hide the shock in my voice, but failing miserably._

_"I know, but I though everyone had left me alone, so I went to see if they weren't down there." You replied._

_"Oh Sheery its okay." I said hugging her to me, but being slow and cautious about it, as to not scare you and cause you to flinch away from me again._

_We sat there like that for what felt like hours—but was maybe minutes, until we heard you mother calling you. I let myself let go of you and jumped off the chair so that I could walk you to the door. But as you turned to go I stopped you and you turned to glance at me tiredly, I smiled weakly and I saw the briefest ghost of a smile cover your features. I brushed some of your orange tendrils out of your pale face and kissed you on your forehead, as I let you leave out the door, to go to my father._

_Three minutes passed, then seven, and at the tenth minute I got restless as to what my father was doing to you. So I did the most stupid thing ever and I left the office with intentions on spying on your healing session with my father._

_The door was left open just a crack like last time, but I daren't peek in. I just stood to the opposite side of the door that lead down the rest of the long hallway, so that if I get caught I could duck into a close room._

_"Okay now Sheerness, can you tell me what happened when you went down into the basement?" my father queried as he rested his chin on the back on his hand._

_"I—I didn't really see anything but the blackness or the room, but I knew—I—I felt a presence down there." She answered lightly._

_"Okay, good now close your eyes and picture the day that you went into the basement, and I want you to explain to me what happened please."_

_I stood near the door and listened in horror as you told my father the traumatizing event that happened to you, but when you said that you almost got pulled into the darkness I gasped a tad bit too loudly and I heard I as my father got up and started walking towards the door. I panicked and hurriedly sneaked into the vacant room next to my father's. I held my breath, afraid that he might hear me and I heard as the door closes. I let out my breath and stayed there for about five minutes before leaving the room and slowly but surely rushing back to his office._

_End of flashback_

 

 

~Frankie's POV~

"And that's it Sheer." I said sighing out heavily. I buried my face in my hands as the memories of that day came back to me in waves of shock and disbelief.

"Frankie why'd you spy us on?" she asked.

"Umm, because Sheery I was worried about you." I mumbled into my palms.

"Hey," she said touching my cheek and turning my face so I look at her. "Hey there Frank-a-ronney, are you okay?" she asked smiling at me widely.

"Why are you trying to make me feel better when you were the one that should be mad?"

"Why should I be mad Frankie?"

"Because Sheery I spied on your private session with you and my father! Things like that are supposed to be private. That's why they are called private sessions—that's why parents aren't supposed to be in there with you—even if you're a child. And I—I invaded your personally space and privacy." I rambled on.

"It's okay Frankie. I don't even remember what happened, it was young—."

"But Sheery what about the door?"

"Those were flashbacks Frankie, I promise—nothing but flashbacks." She whispered reassuringly. "I promise," she muttered. I smiled back at her reassurance.

"So, since we talked this over, are you gamed for going to the human world?" I asked grinning at her like I'm crazed or mad. She sighs at me but nods regardless.


	4. Chapter 4 The human world... I smell trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie persuades Sheer into going for a little trip... but things turn sore soon.

~ Frank's POV~

I sat on the bed as I watched Sheer zip across her room looking for clothes to wear for our little trip to the human world.

"Umm, Sheery you know we're just going for a few minutes right?" I asked.

"Really Frankie? It's the human world, fashion is their thing, I'm not about to go down there and look like last year's fashion nightmare." she rambled.

I sighed at her and fell back to the bed throwing my arm over my eyes and closing them. I started thinking of certain stuff, that didn't partially pertain to what was going on now.

I was so caught up in my own mind that I didn't even notice that Sheer was standing infront of me tapping her foot on the wooden floor.

"FRANKIE!" she yelled at me.

"Ahh!" I yelped as I managed to fall off the bed.

"Real smooth Frankie, now get up lets go."

"I thought you were against this?"

"I was, but eh, you made me think otherwise." She huffed out flipping her curly locks out of her face.

I roll my eyes at her and grasp at the hand that she offered as she helped me pull myself up. I dusted off my black skinny jeans and then glimpsed at her. She looked down right beautiful in her deep red skinny jeans, matched with a silk royal blue button down sleeveless shirt, with a red and blue scarf around her neck, she completed her outfit with blue pumps, red oval earrings and a red side bag she slung over her shoulder. Damn, unlike me I just wore my black skinnies, a navy blue V-neck, a black leather jacket and my black combat boots. I almost looked like a biker, almost, but I was not muscular enough to pull off that look.

"Wow Sheery." I gasped, taken by surprise by how sexy she looked—wait, did I just call Sheery sexy? Oh no, she's my best friend I can't be thinking that. We're like brother and sister.

"Aww thanks Frankie." She blushed a bright red at me—causing her cheeks to match her red lipstick.

"You're welcome, now let's go before I blackout." I replied pulling her with me towards her room door.

"And just where are you two going?" came a voice from behind us, uh oh.

"Hey Pureness, what's up, long time no see?" I said sounding a tad bit coy. 

"Put a cork in it Frankie." She commands.

"Corking it." I respond.

"Really?" Sheery asked almost amazed at me—she jabbed at my side with her elbow and made a gesturing motion with her hands.

"Gods you're obvious Sheery." I whisper.

"Shut up, now tell me where you two are going?" she repeats folding her arms over her chest.

"Okay you caught us." Sheer sighed out, "me and Frankie are secretly dating and well we didn't want no one to know—it's not serious or anything, we're just going out eating and all and we didn't want anyone to know about it till we were sure we were really, really serious about dating."

"I knew it." Pureness smirked at us with a smug look on her face. She knew it? Knew what? Wow, did people really think that Sheery and I are a real couple? That explained a lot.

"Pureness baby come back to bed." Said a male voice I did not recognize.

"Oh my Goddess shut up Thunder?"

"Oh my Gods you're with Thunder Strikes!" Sheer exclaimed with a look of shock gracing her beautiful face—AGAIN I'm referring to her as beautiful—I mean not that she isn't, but it's just, I don't know odd?

"Hush, and no we're not, we're just talking and hanging out for now." She whispered, trying to cover up for what Thunder said.

"How bout we make a deal with you, you don't tell anybody about Frankie and I and no one will know about you and Thunder, deal?"

"Deal." She said taking her sister's hand in a firm shake, confirming the deal.

"Good, anyways bye, see ya later." Sheery said pulling me along with her.

"Bye Pureness" I called as Sheery and I disappeared down the stairs.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Sheer stood there with her mouth gaping, she was clearly surprised at the sight of my new motorbike that I got. It was a 2011 Aprilia Shiver 750. "Come on Sheery, it's not gonna bite."

"You got a bike?!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I got a bike, it was a present from my last birthday remember?"

"Yeah, but didn't you get a car as well?"

"Yes, but since I didn't get nothing for my sixteenth birthday I got two gifts this year." I smiled at her and gestured for her to come.

She shook herself out of her daze and walked up to me. "Here, put this on. I said handing her the helmet, she raised an eyebrow at me as she grimace at me and the helmet. "Come here Sheery." I sighed.

Sheery walks towards me and I take the helmet from her and place it over her head. She stilled and I pushed up the protective glass and smile at her. "See easy right." I queried putting on my helmet.

I mount the bike and look over at her. "Sheery if you don't come, I'm leaving you here." I threaten she gasps then rushes towards me and she swings her leg over the bike.

I kick off the kickstand and start up my bike, she purrs for me and I notice Sheery gripping me a bit too tightly around my waist. "Calm down Sheery, your belly's gonna a bit uneasy for a while, but then you'll get used to it."

"O—Okay." She replies shakily.

"Hold on tight Sheer." I whisper, she nods against my back and I smile to myself as I take off down the road.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

The ride was going smooth, and Sheery was getting used to it, I sighed out contently as we were coming close to the entrance into the human world.

Sheery's hands were still tight around my waist, but I wasn't complaining, it kinda felt nice to be this close to her. Oh God what I'm I thinking? We're friends, nothing more, nothing less. I shook my head at my ignorant subconscious mind and slowed to a park at the entrance.

"Why did we stop?"  Sheer asked turning her face so that she could yawn against the back of my jacket.

"Tired?"

"No."

I pulled the bike to a stop and turned it off. "Okay we're here, and now the only thing we need is the spell to open it." I told her as we dismounted the bike. I removed my helmet and walked up to what looked like the road ahead, but wasn't more than the entrance to the human world.

"So, we're going into the human world?" Sheery asked, "We're such rebels."

"We aren't really; I mean a lot of the ghouls go to the human world for Spring Breaking, I think it's like one of the only time the elders allow us to go there."

"Okay so let's say the spell."

We join hands together.

_"From this road we cast our spells_

_Make it that we're both compelled_

_By power into worth_

_Let us go on into earth_

_Make us whirl_

_And into the human world_

_We go!"_

_We both open our eyes and turn to look at the passageway opening infront us. "Quick Sheery get on the bike!" I call out._

_As soon as we're both on the bike I start her up and drive forward into the portal. "Hold on tight Sheer."_

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

~ Sheer's POV~

I was holding onto Frank rather tight, my eyes shut tightly and my face was pressed up close against his back.

"Sheery, Sheerypie you can open your eyes now, we're here." I hear Frankie whisper.

"We're here? Are you sure Frankie?"

"I'm sure Sheery we're here, now open your eyes." He chuckles.

I sigh at him and slowly open my eyes to see the back of a two story house. "Huh? I thought we were in the human?"

"We are on earth you silly head we're at my parent's house."

"Your parents have a house in the human world?" I asked, somewhat utterly surprised at that.

"Yep, it's sort of a vacation home."

"So, you've been to earth a lot then?" I ask.

"Yes, I have been to human world a lot Sheery, I even made a friend." He states matter-of-factly.

"Is that safe?"

"If what's safe Sheery?"

"If having a friend in the human world safe Frankie?" I stress.

"Oh Sheery you worry too much, you'll get stress lines." He laughed dodging my questions.

"What if we get exposed?"

"We won't, now hold on we're going for a little ride."

I sigh at him. "This conversation is not over Frankie Stein."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah Sheery," He says, brushing me off, and starting up the motorcycle.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

We were cruising down a quaint little road, in such a peaceful little neighbourhood, it almost reminded me of 'Hush Valley', it was around autumn since the leaves were all falling down in such beautiful rustic colour’s of gold, auburn, yellow and rust with small hints of green still on them.

This scene set such a tranquil mood to this neighbourhood, it was like those dreams I've had when I was little.

Around the time of autumn mom and dad would take us up to Hush Valley to pick screamer apples and me and my other siblings would frolic around in the fallen leaves till we were burnt of energy, and then we would lie in the leaves and talk and laugh about the silliest of things.

Usually at the end of the day dad and mom would carry me and Sweetness back home—Darkness would always try and be a big boy and walk besides mom and dad, we always used to tease him about it—all of us except Sweetness of course, she would always be the one to comfort him and tell him it was just teasing and nothing more.

I sigh slightly, where has the good times gone? I wondered as we continued to breeze down the road.

"FRANK! FRANKIE! HEY FRANK!" My head snapped up to see a brown headed boy smiling up at us with his hand shoved into the front pockets of his khaki pants, in a black V-neck t-shirt and a black jacket over it. He looked kind of scruffy with his hair so untamed and a crookedly cute smile upon his face. I estimate him to at least be around Frankie's height and size.

"Who is that Frankie?" I asked, but he didn't answer, he just turned the bike around and was headed in the direction of the brown headed boy.

He pulled off to the side of the road, a few feet away from where the boy stood, he kicked down the kickstand, untangled my arms from his waist, and removed his helmet as he swung his leg over the bike and then he turn to look at me.

"Now Sheerypie, don't say a word until I tell you to okay?"

"Whatever you say mom." I grumble folding my arms. I swear if he could see my face, he'd've seen my facial expression. I can't believe he'd ask me to not speak! I don't say things that I'm not supposed to—well not always—oh that's not the point! I scowl myself.

"Hey Frankie." That boy called again, Humpf he's my Frankie! No one else calls him Frankie but me. The nerve of that guy, he hasn't even known Frankie that long. Oh my Goddess, am I jealous of him? No, that's ridiculous I could never be jealous, I mean it's just Frankie right? Then why do I feel jealous of this boy, it's just Frankie's human friend, it's nothing serious, right?

"Hey Frankie what's up? Hey who's the hot chick—oh my God it's her right? That friend of yours?" he asked as he came up to Frankie's side.

"This chick has a name you know." I state, removing the helmet and walking over to the two boys.

"Oh sorry about that, well hi, I'm Robbin Ford and you are?" he introduces, extending his hand out to me, wow his voice is so sweet and he had this twinkling in his eyes when he speaks. He reminded me of the angels singing.

I blush and stretch my own hand out; he takes it in his slightly larger grip and beams brightly at me again. "I'm Sheer Mad—."

"Madison. She's Sheer Madison." Frankie rushes cutting me off, I glimpse at him and he glares at me. Oh we're supposed to make up fake human names, I wonder what Frankie's is?

"Nice to finally meet you Sheer, so do you live around here?"

"Umm, no she's just visiting. She's the girl I told you about, remember my best friend Sheer."

"Oh yeah I remember," he answered smugly. "So, how long you in town Sheer?"

"Not that long just a few days, but I don't know I might stay longer if Frankie wants me around that long."

"I bet he would, you seem like a great girl."

"Why thank you, I kinda am a great girl." I reply smiling up at him, and out of the corner of my eye I see as Frankie rolls his eyes and I think fast. "So how'd you and Frankie meet?"

"It was kind of a funny story—umm you wanna tell it Frankie?"

"Yeah, it was when my brother and I were at the park I was riding a bike and I didn't see him, then out of nowhere our bikes crash into each other's and well after we got cleaned up, I apologized for not watching where I was going and well we just started talking from there." He explained.

"Oh cool, so did the bikes survive this deadly crash." I asked with fake enthusiasm.

They both laugh. "Sadly both bikes experienced a few bumps and scratches, but it was nothing we couldn't fix." Robbin answers, "So Frankie when'd you get the bike, because wow daddy likes."

"I got it two days ago; it was a late birthday present from the 'rents."

'Rents? Since when did Frankie refer to his parents as 'the 'rents'? I sigh at their silly little slangs and follow them back over to the bike. "So how long did you two know each other?" I asked coming up with my arms folded.

"Umm, what is it like two years now." Robbin said stooping down to check the wheels on the bike.

"Frankie can I talk to you for a while?" he tried to make and excuse but I held him by his elbow and pulled him off near a white picket fence. "TWO YEARS Frankie!?" I whisper-yell at him, "How could you have known him for two years and not tell me!?"

"I didn't know I had to tell you everything Sheery?"

"But we're best friends Frankie. We're supposed to tell each other everything."

"Not everything!"

"We're best friends Frankie! How can you not tell me about him--for two years? What didn't you trust me enough to tell me—what did you think I'd do huh—tell others about him!?" I whisper-yell again as I point my finger in the direction of Robbin. "Why didn't you tell me Frankie? I tell you everything, yet you keep a secret as big as this away from me for two freaking years!? How could you?" I sniffle wiping at my eyes as I felt tears falling from it. "How could you?" I whisper again.

"Sheer please don't cry, I didn't mean too. I was just—I just didn't want—."

"No Frankie, I don't wanna hear it, I just feel like I can't trust you anymore," and I curse at the Gods, because my voice right now sounds weak. "You know what. I'll go for a walk, while you and your best friend Robbin hang out behind my back again." I said stomping my foot at him, "But I bet you won't even mind because you'll be having too much fun with Robbin." I hiss, he still says nothing to defend what I just said. I shake my head at his ridiculousness and brush past him.

"Where are you going Sheery?" he asked holding my shoulder; I yank my arm back harshly from his grip and continue down the street. And I daren't even turn around or answer when he called out to me.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

~Robbie's POV~

I was trying not to listen in on Frank's conversation with Sheer, but it's not easy not to hear. I mean they're practically yelling at one another. Then after Sheer accused him of being untrustworthy she started to walk away but Frank reached for her and she harshly yanked her arm back and continued down the road. She didn't even turn around when he called out to her.

I watched as Frank turned to face me. "I'm sorry you had to see that. She's not really like this normally." He explained, scratching at the back of his head.

"No Frankie, I'm sorry—."

He cut me off. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's my fault for not telling her when I should have."

"So, why didn't you?"

"I don't know, I guess it was for a lot of different reasons—but I guess the main reason was because I didn't want her to find out. I mean yes we're best friends. And you and I are somewhat of great friends going on to that best friend level—but I just didn't want Sheery to know that. I'm so stupid for keeping this from her."

"Come on Frankie don't blame yourself for what happened. And like you said. You had your reasons why you didn't tell her."

"But Robbie it was my fault. I didn't tell her and now she thinks that I didn't trust her enough to tell her about you."

"Well, she's just trying to get used to this new piece of info. Maybe she just needs to walk and cool off and get out of the tense atmosphere so that she can think this through."

"Maybe you're right. I just hope she's okay." He said worrying at his bottom lip and wringing his hands together. Wow this girl really does affect him, and badly too. And he can't tell her about the crush he thinks he has on her—that's mostly the reason we're really good friends because he can talk to me and about his feelings for her. And truth be told he needed a good guy friend to confide in about girls and crushes. He needed some guy time and that's when he came to talk to me. But other than that we were just real good friends, nothing more, and nothing less.

 


	5. Blowing off steam, with memories from Willow Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheer's seeing things... 
> 
> She takes a walk down memory lane while at the park... things turn sour in reality.
> 
> Frankie gets worried.

~Sheer's POV~

It has been almost three minutes since I stormed away from Frankie and Robbin. I was over mega spectra pissed off at him and I hate that I was—I mean me and Frankie rarely ever argued far less, yelled and steamed at each other--which resulted in me storming off and walking to somewhere—where I had no clue or idea of where I was going.

I'm furious at myself for allowing my temper to take over my better judgment and my emotions.

I shook my head roughly, and then almost fell over. Shoot!

Note: never shake your head while walking in heels.

Anyways I sighed and folded my arms over my chest and thought to just focus on the neighbourhood that I was currently in.

I looked around at the quaint little neighbourhood, as I strode down the leafy pathway--which was the sidewalk that I stormed down when I got annoyed with Frankie's nonsense.

A sudden uninvited shiver ran through me and I swore I felt piercing eyes burning holes into the back of my head. I whip around to find nothing but an empty sidewalk and rustic coloured leaves falling and landing atop the other fallen leaves on the ground. I rubbed at my arms when another cooling shiver scrapped its crawls down my spine again. I shudder and turn around in circles trying to see if I can see the person or whatever force which had caused me such bone-chilling sensations. I paused mid turn and slowly rose my head to look up into the tree that was just besides me.

Up in the only tree with all its green leaves I saw menacing red irises staring right back at me. I have no clue why I felt like my two feet were suddenly glued to the spot that they were in, but they were.

I was engrossed in those creepy red eyes that seem to be seeing into my very being. I shut my eyes tight and counted to ten, then opened them up again.

Nothing…

Nothing at all remained. No trace of that that had frightened me so much.

I shook my head free of the memory, and once again glimpsed up at the tree…

The tree wasn't green with leaves anymore--it wasn't like it was before—full and bright with the natural colour of forest green leaves—it was now barely filled with yellowish greenish bronze leaves that fell ever so slowly but surely from the trees branches. In a matter of second the tree would be without much leaves on it—as it shed its leaves minute after precious minute. I pressed my back up against the cool brick wall behind me, closing my eyes and bracing my hands on my knees and breathing the coolness in deeply as I figured it better to observe my now suddenly interesting blue heeled clad feet instead.

I took a deep breath in and let out a shaking exhalation.

I looked up from where my eyes were watching my blue heels and I smiled at myself and told myself that it was just my mind acting silly and that I should not even worry about it.

Standing up off the wall I dusted off myself and resumed my walking.  


 

~ ~ ~  


 

After about five minutes of walking I realize that there's really no one here, no kids running around, no dogs barking, no nothing and it's such a strange feeling. I regain my thoughtful composure and go back to walking to only the Gods know where.

Out of nowhere I heard the laughter of... children? I turned to my right and was wide eyed when I saw that there was a local park filled with playful kids, chatting teens, biking elders, relaxing parents and hyper pets. So that's where everyone was.

I stood opposite the park and just watched the humans frolic and have fun, and decided that I would go in and just sit down and sort out my thoughts. I walked over to the park and my eyes were instantly in search of a vacant bench so I could just sit and think—of what you may ask, my answer to you is I don't know, anything, just something, because I can't leave my mind open to my horrid thoughts of Frankie not telling me about Robbin.

I find a lone bench, underneath one of the many leave-shedding apple trees that the park is covered with, I sigh as I sit down on the bench. I look out to the kids at play and a smile inches upwards my cheeks at the sight of this little human boy around age nine or ten helping up his friend after she tripped and scrapped her knee on the pathway. He held her around her waist and she had her arm over his shoulder holding him tightly as he helped her and brought her to her mother, such a beautiful friendship I thought.

 

_Flashback_

_And speaking of friendships I remember when Frankie and I met it was one of the warmest Saturdays of the whole month._

_My father had taken us to the Willow Park, but Wicked and Kindness refused to come with us. Mom was busy with work so it was just me, Sweetness, Darkness, Lustfulness and Pureness and Selene tagged along with us._

_Dark and Sweet were playing around—as they usually did--while we made our way to the park I was busy dazing off at the soft blue skies of Willow way._

_I hummed along to a silly little song that my father made up for me when I was having nightmares. It always seemed to calm me, I don't know if it was magick or if it was just because it from was coming from my father. But either way I still loved it._

_So as we made our way down the brick path the wind picked up a little and we could hear the wind whistling through the trees. "What are you humming Sheer?" Selene asked as she came up to me and held my hand._

_I turned to her, "It's a song my daddy made up for me so that I could sleep at night when I had a bad dream._

_"Really? How does it go?"_

_“It goes like this:_

_‘Hush your eyes, sleep tonight_

_Sheerness my darling please close your eyes_

_Open your mind, think sweet dreams_

_Sheerness my daughter to bed, sleep tight_

_Hush your eyes, sleep tonight_

_Sheerness my princess please sleep goodnight_

_Hush sweet child_

_Sheerness my baby, go to sleep tonight_

_Close your eyes and sleep tonight_

_Sheerness my pumpkin don't fear the night’_

 

_"Wow Sheerness, that was so beautiful." Selene whispered, I opened my eyes at her, I haven't even noticed they were closed and that we had stopped walking._

_"Did you really make that song for her Mr. Madness?" Selene asked with oncoming tears in her eyes. I tilted my head to the side and looked at her. "Are you crying Selene?"_

_She shakes her head at me. "It's just such a sweetly song Sheer." I threw my arms around her neck and hugged her to me to make her know that it's okay. "Yes Selene, I did make her that song." My dad said in his soft British accent, as he knelt down on one knee besides us, he patted Selene gently on her back and she pulled back from me and smiled up at my father. "That song was so beautiful Mr. Madness." Selene said as she wiped at her damp eyes._

_"Thank you Selene, now come on girls we're almost to Willow Park." He tells us._

_"Okay Mr. Madness," she said smiling up at my dad. He smiled back and stood up and began dusting his pant leg off. "Hey Sheerness,"_

_"Yes Selene."_

_"Your dad is the coolest." She tells me, hooking her arm with mine and leaning against me as we resume walking._

_When we got to the park Dark and Sweet ran towards the piles of leaves, Lust and Pure were gawking at the hot teen ghouls playing ball and dad went over to one of the many benches to read his novel on a sappy ghoul romance._

_Selene and I made our way towards the swing, but Selene wanted to skip along the stony pathway leading to the swings._

_"Skip with me Sheer." She begs._

_"I'm okay, you go on ahead."_

_"Sometimes you just seem like such a party-pooper Sheerness."_

_"Well isn't that sad." I said sarcastically. She stops skipping and turns to look at me with a dead look in her eyes. "I could so bite you, you know." She threatens, showing her very sharp baby fangs._

_"Well go ahead, what good would that do you?" she had her eyes narrowed at me and stuck out her tongue playfully. There was a small pause and then we both busted out laughing._

_"We're such bestfriends." We say in unison as we continue to laugh at our silliness._

_Selene went back to skipping along the pathway, and I on the other hand had wondering eyes as I took in the beauty of the tall Oakwood trees whose leaves were blown down to the ground by the warm autumn wind—the way the leaves were falling almost looked like it was auburn, rustic and red-orange rain, in the form of a leaf of course._

_I walked away from Selene and the rest of my family to wander off to the empty opening of trees that created an 'O' shape. I moved to stand in the middle of the opening and closed my eyes to the hum of the soft wind and stretched out my arms as the breeze swept through my reddish-orange hair. I imagined myself controlling the wind and making it pick up the leaves that had already fallen and laid patiently on the short green grass for someone to rack them into piles of leafy fun._

_I heard a distant sound from somewhere behind me, but it was like my eyes were glued shut and my mind and body were one with the earth around me. I felt the rush of the wind picking up and I breathed in the scents of the flowers and trees and the soil—that flew around me, it was unlike anything I've ever felt before. The wind whipped my hair around my face as it grew stronger; I was caught off guard when I felt a pair of hands grasp at my wrist and pulled._

_My eyes snapped open and a young boy, no older than me, stood there with his straight black hair which was reaching just above his neck, and which managed to cover his left eye and he had these dark remarkably yellow eyes gazing up at me thoughtfully. "Let go." I ordered my voice no louder than a soft sound. He shook his head at me. "I'll let go when you get back on your feet." He said, his voice was as velvety and soft as nothing I've ever heard, and he remained so calm when clearly his surrounds weren't. I was baffled at what he was saying until I looked down and indeed I was at least a feet off the grassy ground._

_I gasped at the yellow eyed boy holding my wrist. "Come down, I'll help you." he told him with that same calm expression sitting so peacefully on his face. I don't know why, but I couldn't help the smile that was creeping up onto my cheeks. I nod my head at him and he stretches out his other hand for me to grab onto. I hesitantly took his hand and noticed that it was soft and warm and welcoming. "Don't think of flying, think of standing under a large Oakwood tree." I nod and close my eyes and picture myself under one of the grand Oakwood trees in the park._

_A sudden rush crowds me and I feel as though my body is being moved, but I'm still where I am, floating with my eyes closed and my mind thinking of an Oakwood tree and my hands still in the soft cushion-like grasp off the nameless boy with the neck length black hair and those outstanding yellow eyes of his that seem to uncover all my secrets—all my wishes—all of... me... I thought of that—and just that alone._ _"Open your eyes." that voice that sweetly velvet smooth voice told me, I obediently listened and opened my eyes to see myself again looking back into those eyes that I just can't seem to stop being amazed at when I stare into them. "Your eyes are breathtakingly indescribable." I tell him softly, without even thinking._

_The strange boy stood with me underneath one of the biggest Oakwood trees in the entire park. I had found this tree when I wandered off by myself to just think and well I stayed there for hours at a time._

_The scene that stood before the grand Oakwood trees was of the rising Horizon and it was magnificent and just a sight to see with its greenery and plush grass and blooming buds and the birds and animals grazing. But no, the sight that stood before me was this breathtakingly handsome boy with those indescribable yellow eyes that seem to sparkle with something everytime I looked into them. He was taller than me, but he seemed about the same age as I. So what's with the height difference? Maybe it was just a boy thing. I decided. "You're staring." His gently voice pulled me out of my distracted thought—and why not be distracted he was a sight to see._

_"What?" I asked, because I just heard what he said. He chuckles lightly. "You were staring." He repeats I blush at him and bow my head down to now stare at the grass at our feet. I gasp as I feel his index finger hook under my chin to lift my face to have me once again gazing into these unfathomably exquisite yellow irises._

_I was speechless at the fact that his eyes always seemed to take my breath away. I blinded hastily and squeezed my eyes shut. "S—sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just that your eyes are so... wow." I finished off uncertainly. "It's okay. I'm Frank Stein and you're Sheerness Madness, right?" he questioned tenderly._

_"Thank you for helping me down." I whisper. I was lost at why I was whispering, but I don't know, it just seemed like I needed to._

_"You don't have to whisper, and you're welcome." He whispers back. I blush and giggle at him._

_"Come over here." He tells me mildly, I nod my head at him and let him take me to a low grown branch of the tree. "Come on, climb up with up me."_

_"Why?"_

_"If you think the view is great from down here, then it's ten times more spectacular from up here. Now come on." He says as he releases my hand and begins to climb the tree. He gets onto the first branch and reaches his right hand down for me. I look at him and he smiles brightly at me—a smile that's says trust me. I took his out-reached arm and he effortlessly pulls me up, by one hand onto the branch. I gasp at his strength._

_"I'm naturally strong, because of whom my father is." I'm surprised at him and I think back to his eyes and his name and his height, and then I make the connection. "You're Franken Stein's son aren't you?" I asked remarkably overwhelmed at this. His eyes turn back to me and he smiles down at me. "Yep." He answers popping the 'P'._

_"But I thought you all were in another world?" I asked again as he got up to another branch._

_"We were, umfp," he grunts as he sits on the other branch, "But we decided to move back. Why, do you think we'll rampage through town and cause havoc?"_

_"No silly, that's a human mindset not a monster's own?" I replied smiling at him._

_"Smart answer Madness." He says using my last name. "You know it'll be better if I just fly us up." I suggested._

_"Nah, it's more fun this way, and besides your powers are still unstable, so no need to test them without supervision of a teacher or parent." He explains._

_"Good point." I paused to think it over, eh better than testing uncertain waters. "Help me up Stein." I order playfully using his last name back at him._

_"Getting picky now aren't we Madness. Why don't you try and get up here by yourself." I narrow my eyes up at him but smile at the challenge he proposed._

_"Okay move aside Stein." I told him. He obliges and shifts aside so that I could attempt to get up the branch. I exhaled deeply and stretched my arms up and jumped just a little bit. I missed and my foot slipped a little off the low-grown branch and I gasped as I felt myself falling._

_Fingers wrapped themselves around my wrist and pulled. I felt myself lifting; I closed my eyes shut tightly and just let myself be drawn up. "Are you alright Sheer? Answer me please, are you okay?" he whispers hugging me close to his chest. I breathe in his scent and it draws me out of my state of shook and I grab at his shoulders and sniffled at the fact that I almost fell off._

_"I'm fine, just shocked. I think we should just stay here instead of climbing up higher." I suggest. I feel him nodding his head against my shoulder and I gently pat his back. "I should have never brought you here."_

_I pulled back from him and stared stunned at his words. "No, don't ever say that. I don't ever want to un-know you Frankie, please don't say that." He said nothing as he stared into my eyes deeply, pondering on what I just said. "I never had anyone say that to me before. I was always one to keep to myself and people always ostracized me because of my father and because of my height."_

_"I would have never done that to you. You are so kind and helpful and people shouldn't have judged you because of what your father was and because of your height."_

_"I never had any friends because of it." He told me._

_"I'll be your friend Frankie." I said to him a smile playing on my lips. He smiled back at me, but it wavered. "Are you all right Frankie?"_

_"Promise me that you'll always be my friend."_

_"Forever and ever Frankie. Until all worlds end."_

_"Until all worlds end."_

_That day is one that I'll never overlook, or be unappreciative for. It was the day I met my Frankie and the day that life seemed to get better. I was never more at peace until my run in with Frankie. He was an uncommon mind that I could question and pick at and he'd never grow bored or uninterested in me. That was the day when I knew that we'd be friends forever Selene, Frankie and I. Forever until all worlds end._

_End of flashback._

 

I sighed pleasantly at the thought of Frankie and I meeting for the first time and I smiled at how clearly I remember it—just as if it was yesterday, I was but no older than five years when that run in had befallen us and we became just more than a girl who was assisted by a yellow eyed boy with a gently composure and a calming voice.  


 

~Frankie's POV~

Robbie and I talked for a while, but my mind was more focused on Sheer and where she'd wandered off to in her steaming rage. Gosh I hope she's not lost or hurt or kidnapped or even worse. Oh merciful Lords. I groan and squeeze my eyes close as I press hard at my temples.

I shake my head of the annoying thoughts of her being in any danger or trouble. If I didn't calm down now I might start sparking up and I don't think the elders would appreciate the risking of all ghouls because of my ridiculously ramped thoughts.

"Hey Frankie, you okay?" Robbie asked yanking me back from my thoughts. "I'm sorry I was just—."

"Thinking of Sheer, right?" he says cutting me off mid-excuse. I give up trying to make an excuse and nod remorselessly at him. "I'm just worried about her. Shouldn't we go look for her Robbin? I'm getting really worried, Sheer doesn't know this place very well." Robbin nods at me and pats the seat of my bike. "Let's go then." I smile at him and hop onto the bike, Robbin smiles back and goes to get his car from his garage. He reverses his red 2013 Camaro Coupe and starts off down the road. I put on my helmet and rev up my engine, and then I'm off. I hope she's not still mad at me.  


 

~ ~ ~  


 

~Sheer's POV~

The wind blew smoothly through my orange wavy hair. I was tuned into every sound around me: the laughter of the children, random persons talking, cell phones going off. Dogs barking and cats purring and all the little sound were amplified to my ears.

 _'Sheerness…'_  an eerie voice whispers, causing spiking chills to run up along my spine and scape back down, my arms grew Goosebumps as a reaction to the chills.

I shot up from the bench and my eyes snapped open as I whipped my head all around to see who the owner of that eerie voice was. I saw nothing but the humans—my eyes searched for the owner of the eerie voice that I heard, but there was nothing to be seen and this was beginning to get scary now.

I observed the trees in the park, and all but one apple tree stood out from all the rest. The apple tree was far away on the other side of the park and it was the only tree full of life and forest green leaves, I paused when two pairs of burning red eyes stared back at me.

I became entrapped in an unwavered staring game with those eyes and it felt like those eyes were absorbing my very soul.

"Sheerypie…" A voice called out and before I knew it I was clasped in the strong arms of Frankie's embrace. I closed my eyes. Shutting of those horrid red eyes and buried my face into Frankie's shirts. I felt the tears streaming down my face and I didn't know why, and I couldn't stop the onslaught of tears from coming down and dampening my cheeks and Frankie's shirt.

Frankie pulled back from me and cupped my hands in his large palms—they're just like how I remembered them soft and warm and welcoming—. "Sheerypie, baby are you okay, you're crying?" Frankie croons. "Are you okay Sheer? Is it because I didn't tell you about Robbin? Are you still mad at me? Oh Sheery, I wish I had told you before--I'm so sorry Sheery. I should have told you before?" I just shake my head and rest my face back against his chest and I say nothing at all. Because all I can think of is those piercing red eyes. I sob into Frankie's shirt and I twine my arms around him. And just hold him to me.

Frankie sighs and I feel his hot breathe on the top of my head as he holds me tighter in his arms.

 

~Sheer's POV~

It has been almost three minutes since I stormed away from Frankie and Robbin. I was over mega spectra pissed off at him and I hate that I was--I mean me and Frankie rarely ever argued far less, yelled and steamed at each other--which resulted in me storming off and walking to somewhere--where I had no clue or idea of where I was going.

I'm furious at myself for allowing my temper to take over my better judgment and my emotions.

I shook my head roughly, and then almost fell over. Shoot!

Note: never shake your head while walking in heels.

Anyways I sighed and folded my arms over my chest and thought to just focus on the neighbourhood that I was currently in.

I looked around at the quaint little neighbourhood, as I strode down the leafy pathway--which was the sidewalk that I stormed down when I got annoyed with Frankie's nonsense.

A sudden uninvited shiver ran through me and I swore I felt piercing eyes burning holes into the back of my head. I whip around to find nothing but an empty sidewalk and rustic coloured leaves falling and landing atop the other fallen leaves on the ground. I rubbed at my arms when another cooling shiver scrapped its crawls down my spine again. I shudder and turn around in circles trying to see if I can see the person or whatever force which had caused me such bone-chilling sensations. I paused mid turn and slowly rose my head to look up into the tree that was just besides me.

Up in the only tree with all its green leaves I saw menacing red irises staring right back at me. I have no clue why I felt like my two feet were suddenly glued to the spot that they were in, but they were.

I was engrossed in those creepy red eyes that seem to be seeing into my very being. I shut my eyes tight and counted to ten, then opened them up again.

Nothing...

Nothing at all remained. No trace of that that had frightened me so much.

I shook my head free of the memory, and once again glimpsed up at the tree...

The tree wasn't green with leaves anymore--it wasn't like it was before--full and bright with the natural colour of forest green leaves--it was now barely filled with yellowish greenish bronze leaves that fell ever so slowly but surely from the trees branches. In a matter of second the tree would be without much leaves on it--as it shed its leaves minute after precious minute. I pressed my back up against the cool brick wall behind me, closing my eyes and bracing my hands on my knees and breathing the coolness in deeply as I figured it better to observe my now suddenly interesting blue heeled clad feet instead.

I took a deep breath in and let out a shaking exhalation.

I looked up from where my eyes were watching my blue heels and I smiled at myself and told myself that it was just my mind acting silly and that I should not even worry about it.

Standing up off the wall I dusted off myself and resumed my walking.

 

~ ~ ~

 

After about five minutes of walking I realize that there's really no one here, no kids running around, no dogs barking, no nothing and it's such a strange feeling. I regain my thoughtful composure and go back to walking to only the Gods know where.

Out of nowhere I heard the laughter of... children? I turned to my right and was wide eyed when I saw that there was a local park filled with playful kids, chatting teens, biking elders, relaxing parents and hyper pets. So that's where everyone was.

I stood opposite the park and just watched the humans frolic and have fun, and decided that I would go in and just sit down and sort out my thoughts. I walked over to the park and my eyes were instantly in search of a vacant bench so I could just sit and think--of what you may ask, my answer to you is I don't know, anything, just something, because I can't leave my mind open to my horrid thoughts of Frankie not telling me about Robbin.

I find a lone bench, underneath one of the many leave-shedding apple trees that the park is covered with, I sigh as I sit down on the bench. I look out to the kids at play and a smile inches upwards my cheeks at the sight of this little human boy around age nine or ten helping up his friend after she tripped and scrapped her knee on the pathway. He held her around her waist and she had her arm over his shoulder holding him tightly as he helped her and brought her to her mother, such a beautiful friendship I thought.

 

Flashback

 

And speaking of friendships I remember when Frankie and I met it was one of the warmest Saturdays of the whole month.

My father had taken us to the Willow Park, but Wicked and Kindness refused to come with us. Mom was busy with work so it was just me, Sweetness, Darkness, Lustfulness and Pureness and Selene tagged along with us.

Dark and Sweet were playing around--as they usually did--while we made our way to the park I was busy dazing off at the soft blue skies of Willow way.

I hummed along to a silly little song that my father made up for me when I was having nightmares. It always seemed to calm me, I don't know if it was magick or if it was just because it from was coming from my father. But either way I still loved it.

So as we made our way down the brick path the wind picked up a little and we could hear the wind whistling through the trees. "What are you humming Sheer?" Selene asked as she came up to me and held my hand.

I turned to her, "It's a song my daddy made up for me so that I could sleep at night when I had a bad dream.

"Really? How does it go?"

 

"It goes like this:

'Hush your eyes, sleep tonight

Sheerness my darling please close your eyes

Open your mind, think sweet dreams

Sheerness my daughter to bed, sleep tight

Hush your eyes, sleep tonight

Sheerness my princess please sleep goodnight

Hush sweet child

Sheerness my baby go to sleep tonight

Close your eyes and sleep tonight

Sheerness my pumpkin don't fear the night'

 

"Wow Sheerness, that was so beautiful." Selene whispered, I opened my eyes at her, I haven't even noticed they were closed and that we had stopped walking.

"Did you really make that song for her Mr. Madness?" Selene asked with oncoming tears in her eyes. I tilted my head to the side and looked at her. "Are you crying Selene?"

She shakes her head at me. "It's just such a sweetly song Sheer." I threw my arms around her neck and hugged her to me to make her know that it's okay. "Yes Selene, I did make her that song." My dad said in his soft british accent, as he knelt down on one knee besides us, he patted Selene gently on her back and she pulled back from me and smiled up at my father. "That song was so beautiful Mr. Madness." Selene said as she wiped at her damp eyes.

"Thank you Selene, now come on girls we're almost to Willow park." He tells us.

"Okay Mr. Madness," she said smiling up at my dad. He smiled back and stood up and began dusting his pant leg off. "Hey Sheerness,"

"Yes Selene."

"Your dad is the coolest." She tells me, hooking her arm with mine and leaning against me as we resume walking.

When we got to the park Dark and Sweet ran towards the piles of leaves, Lust and Pure were gawking at the hot teen ghouls playing ball and dad went over to one of the many benches to read his novel on a sappy ghoul romance.

Selene and I made our way towards the swing, but Selene wanted to skip along the stony pathway leading to the swings.

"Skip with me Sheer." She begs.

"I'm okay, you go on ahead."

"Sometimes you just seem like such a party-pooper Sheerness."

"Well isn't that sad." I said sarcastically. She stops skipping and turns to look at me with a dead look in her eyes. "I could so bite you, you know." She threaten showing her very sharp baby fangs.

"Well go ahead, what good would that do you?" she had her eyes narrowed at me and stuck out her tongue playfully. There was a small pause and then we both busted out laughing.

"We're such bestfriends." We say in unison as we continue to laugh at our silliness.

Selene went back to skipping along the pathway, and I on the other hand had wondering eyes as I took in the beauty of the tall Oakwood trees whose leaves were blown down to the ground by the warm autumn wind--the way the leaves were falling almost looked like it was auburn, rustic and red-orange rain, in the form of a leaf of course.

I walked away from Selene and the rest of my family to wander off to the empty opening of trees that created an 'O' shape. I moved to stand in the middle of the opening and closed my eyes to the hum of the soft wind and stretched out my arms as the breeze swept through my reddish-orange hair. I imagined myself controlling the wind and making it pick up the leaves that had already fallen and laid patiently on the short green grass for someone to rack them into piles of leafy fun.

I heard a distant sound from somewhere behind me, but it was like my eyes were glued shut and my mind and body were one with the earth around me. I felt the rush of the wind picking up and I breathed in the scents of the flowers and trees and the soil--that flew around me, it was unlike anything I've ever felt before. The wind whipped my hair around my face as it grew stronger; I was caught off guard when I felt a pair of hands grasp at my wrist and pulled.

My eyes snapped open and a young boy, no older than me, stood there with his straight black hair which was reaching just above his neck, and which managed to cover his left eye and he had these dark remarkablely yellow eyes gazing up at me thoughtfully. "Let go." I ordered my voice no louder than a soft sound. He shook his head at me. "I'll let go when you get back on your feet." He said, his voice was as velvety and soft as nothing I've ever heard, and he remained so calm when clearly his surrounds weren't. I was baffled at what he was saying until I looked down and indeed I was at least a feet off the grassy ground.

I gasped at the yellow eyed boy holding my wrist. "Come down, I'll help you." he told him with that same calm expression sitting so peacefully on his face. I don't know why, but I couldn't help the smile that was creeping up onto my cheeks. I nod my head at him and he stretches out his other hand for me to grab onto. I hesitantly took his hand and noticed that it was soft and warm and welcoming. "Don't think of flying, think of standing under a large Oakwood tree." I nod and close my eyes and picture myself under one of the grand Oakwood trees in the park.

A sudden rush crowds me and I feel as though my body is being moved, but I'm still where I am, floating with my eyes closed and my mind thinking of an Oakwood tree and my hands still in the soft cushion-like grasp off the nameless boy with the neck length black hair and those outstanding yellow eyes of his that seem to uncover all my secrets--all my wishes--all of... me... I thought of that--and just that alone.

"Open your eyes." that voice, that sweetly velvet smooth voice told me, I obediently listened and opened my eyes to see myself again looking back into those eyes that I just can't seem to stop being amazed at when I stare into them. "Your eyes are breathtakingly indescribable." I tell him softly, without even thinking.

The strange boy stood with me underneath one of the biggest Oakwood trees in the entire park. I had found this tree when I wandered off by myself to just think and well I stayed there for hours at a time.

The scene that stood before the grand Oakwood trees was of the rising Horizon and it was magnificent and just a sight to see with its greenery and plush grass and blooming buds and the birds and animals grazing. But no, the sight that stood before me was this breathtakingly handsome boy with those indescribable yellow eyes that seem to sparkle with something everytime I looked into them. He was taller than me, but he seemed about the same age as I. So what's with the height difference? Maybe it was just a boy thing. I decided. "You're staring." His gently voice pulled me out of my distracted thought--and why not be distracted he was a sight to see.

"What?" I asked, because I just heard what he said. He chuckles lightly. "You were staring." He repeats I blush at him and bow my head down to now stare at the grass at our feet. I gasp as I feel his index finger hook under my chin to lift my face to have me once again gazing into these unfathomably exquisite yellow irises.

I was speechless at the fact that his eyes always seemed to take my breath away. I blinded hastily and squeezed my eyes shut. "S--sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just that your eyes are so... wow." I finished off uncertainly. "It's okay. I'm Frank Stein and you're Sheerness Madness, right?" he questioned tenderly.

"Thank you for helping me down." I whisper. I was lost at why I was whispering, but I don't know, it just seemed like I needed to.

"You don't have to whisper, and you're welcome." He whispers back. I blush and giggle at him.

"Come over here." He tells me mildly, I nod my head at him and let him take me to a low grown branch of the tree. "Come on, climb up with up me."

"Why?"

"If you think the view is great from down here, then it's ten times more spectacular from up here. Now come on." He says as he releases my hand and begins to climb the tree. He gets onto the first branch and reaches his right hand down for me. I look at him and he smiles brightly at me--a smile that's says trust me. I took his out-reached arm and he effortlessly pulls me up, by one hand onto the branch. I gasp at his strength.

"I'm naturally strong, because of whom my father is." I'm surprised at him and I think back to his eyes and his name and his height, and then I make the connection. "You're Franken Stein's son aren't you?" I asked remarkably overwhelmed at this. His eyes turn back to me and he smiles down at me. "Yep." He answers popping the 'P'.

"But I thought you all were in another world?" I asked again as he got up to another branch.

"We were, umfp," he grunts as he sits on the other branch, "But we decided to move back. Why, do you think we'll rampage through town and cause havoc?"

"No silly, that's a human mindset not a monster's own?" I replied smiling at him.

"Smart answer Madness." He says using my last name. "You know it'll be better if I just fly us up." I suggested.

"Nah, it's more fun this way, and besides your powers are still unstable, so no need to test them without supervision of a teacher or parent." He explains.

"Good point." I paused to think it over, eh better than testing uncertain waters. "Help me up Stein." I order playfully using his last name back at him.

"Getting picky now aren't we Madness. Why don't you try and get up here by yourself." I narrow my eyes up at him but smile at the challenge he proposed.

"Okay move aside Stein." I told him. He obliges and shifts aside so that I could attempt to get up the branch. I exhaled deeply and stretched my arms up and jumped just a little bit. I missed and my foot slipped a little off the low-grown branch and I gasped as I felt myself falling.

Fingers wrapped themselves around my wrist and pulled. I felt myself lifting; I closed my eyes shut tightly and just let myself be drawn up. "Are you alright Sheer? Answer me please, are you okay?" he whispers hugging me close to his chest. I breathe in his scent and it draws me out of my state of shook and I grab at his shoulders and sniffled at the fact that I almost fell off.

"I'm fine, just shocked. I think we should just stay here instead of climbing up higher." I suggest. I feel him nodding his head against my shoulder and I gently pat his back. "I should have never brought you here."

I pulled back from him and stared stunned at his words. "No, don't ever say that. I don't ever want to un-know you Frankie, please don't say that." He said nothing as he stared into my eyes deeply, pondering on what I just said. "I never had anyone say that to me before. I was always one to keep to myself and people always ostracized me because of my father and because of my height."

"I would have never done that to you. You are so kind and helpful and people shouldn't have judged you because of what your father was and because of your height."

"I never had any friends because of it." He told me.

"I'll be your friend Frankie." I said to him a smile playing on my lips. He smiled back at me, but it wavered. "Are you all right Frankie?"

"Promise me that you'll always be my friend."

"Forever and ever Frankie. Until all worlds end."

"Until all worlds end."

That day is one that I'll never overlook, or be unappreciative for. It was the day I met my Frankie and the day that life seemed to get better. I was never more at peace until my run in with Frankie. He was an uncommon mind that I could question and pick at and he'd never grow bored or uninterested in me. That was the day when I knew that we'd be friends forever Selene, Frankie and I. Forever until all worlds end.

 

End of flashback.

 

I sighed pleasantly at the thought of Frankie and I meeting for the first time and I smiled at how clearly I remember it--just as if it was yesterday, I was but no older than five years when that run in had befallen us and we became just more than a girl who was assisted by a yellow eyed boy with a gently composure and a calming voice.

 

~Frankie's POV~

Robbie and I talked for a while, but my mind was more focused on Sheer and where she'd wandered off to in her steaming rage. Gosh I hope she's not lost or hurt or kidnapped or even worse. Oh merciful Lords. I groan and squeeze my eyes close as I press hard at my temples.

I shake my head of the annoying thoughts of her being in any danger or trouble. If I didn't calm down now I might start sparking up and I don't think the elders would appreciate the risking of all ghouls because of my ridiculously ramped thoughts.

"Hey Frankie, you okay?" Robbie asked yanking me back from my thoughts. "I'm sorry I was just--."

"Thinking of Sheer, right?" he says cutting me off mid-excuse. I give up trying to make an excuse and nod remorselessly at him. "I'm just worried about her. Shouldn't we go look for her Robbin? I'm getting really worried, Sheer doesn't know this place very well." Robbin nods at me and pats the sit of my bike. "Let's go then." I smile at him and hop onto the bike, Robbin smiles back and goes to get his car from his garage. He reverses his red 2013 Camaro Coupe and starts off down the road. I put on my helmet and rev up my engine, and then I'm off. I hope she's not still mad at me.

 

~ ~ ~

 

~Sheer's POV~

The wind blew smoothly through my orange wavy hair. I was tuned into every sound around me: the laughter of the children, random persons talking, cell phones going off. Dogs barking and cats purring and all the little sound were amplified to my ears.

'Sheerness...' an eerie voice whispers causing spiking chills to run up along my spine and scape back down. My arms grew goosebumps as a reaction to the chills.

I shot up from the bench and my eyes snapped open as I whipped my head all around to see who the owner of that eerie voice was. I saw nothing but the humans--my eyes searched for the owner of the eerie voice that I heard, but there was nothing to be seen and this was beginning to get scary now.

I observed the trees in the park, and all but one apple tree stood out from all the rest. The apple tree was far away on the other side of the park and it was the only tree full of life and forest green leaves, I paused when two pairs of burning red eyes stared back at me.

I became entrapped in an unwavered staring game with those eyes and it felt like those eyes were absorbing my very soul.

"Sheerypie." A voice called out and before I knew it I was clasped in the strong arms of Frankie's embrace. I closed my eyes. Shutting of those horrid red eyes and buried my face into Frankie's shirts. I felt the tears streaming down my face and I didn't know why, and I couldn't stop the onslaught of tears from coming down and dampening my cheeks and Frankie's shirt.

Frankie pulled back from me and cupped my hands in his large palms--they're just like how I remembered them soft and warm and welcoming--. "Sheerypie, baby are you okay, you're crying?" Frankie croons. "Are you okay Sheer? Is it because I didn't tell you about Robbin? Are you still mad at me? Oh Sheery, I wish I had told you before--I'm so sorry Sheery. I should have told you before?" I just shake my head and rest my face back against his chest and I say nothing at all. Because all I can think of is those piercing red eyes. I sob into Frankie's shirt and I twine my arms around him. And just hold him to me.

Frankie sighs and I feel his hot breathe on the top of my head as he holds me tighter in his arms.


	6. Mrs. S. Madness at work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mrs. Madness knows all... keep that in mind

~Narration~

Frank still had his arm wrapped around Sheer's waist as they made their way back to his motorbike. "So Sheery what happened back there when I came up to you?" he asked trying to conceal his worriedness, but sadly failing as his voice comes out soft and cautioned, Sheer said nothing to him as they neared Frank's bike and Robbin’s car. Frank looked over Sheer's head to glance over at Robbin with a pointed gaze, but Robbin just shakes his head and pouts as he shrugged his shoulders up at him. Frank rolled his eyes at that.

Although he wasn't sure what happened to Sheer before he came to her, he could tell that it was somehow traumatic because Sheer was always talkative and, well now she wasn't saying a word and it kind of spooked him.

They got to the bike and Sheer said nothing as she moved over to the bike, she sat at the back of the bike and put on her helmet and waited for Frank to do the same since he was the one who could drive it. She stared straight forward, but Frank doubted that she was really looking at anything in particular.

"I better get going Robbie. I'll call you when I can." Frank sighed.

"It was nice to see you again Frankie. Bye Sheer." He said waving at her, we both turned to see if she made a move but no, nada, nothing she just continued to stare straight forward at nothing. "I gotta get going, bye, see you around." Frank said walking over to his bike and planting himself infront of Sheer she wasted no time as she hugged her arms tightly around his abdomen and pushed the glass of her helmet down to shield her eyes. Frank sighed out again and put on his helmet, but before he drove off down the road he covered Sheer's hands with his and gently squeezed her hand; he patted the back of her hand and kicked up his kick stand as he started the bike.

He was going to have to tell Sheer's mom about this and see if she could help in any way possible, because right now he missed his silly, funny, talkative Sheery.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

~Frank's POV~

Unfortunately for me I had to say the return spell singlehandedly because Sheer was still zoned out and I was lost for what to do.

When we had reentered our own world I drove off down the road to Sheer's home. I needed to get her to her mother and see what in all that is ghoul happened to her while she was in that park. It was strange to me and I felt like it was all my fault. I shouldn't have asked her to come. It was my fault she had gotten mad in the first place; she should have never seen Robbin. It was too soon.

All these thoughts kept fighting a war within my mind and I was getting madder and madder at myself for letting all of this happen.  Sheer already was paranoid about what happened this morning to begin with and I just help chuck a whole boat load of more complications on her plate. Gods aren't I stupid! This whole thing wouldn't have even gone down if I had just told Sheer about Robbin and about my trips to the human world.

My thoughts were cut off when I drove up to Sheer's house to see her mother standing at the front door with a worried look sketched onto her face. I sighed to myself.

She knew…

I got off my bike and helped Sheer off as well. "Frank Stein you are in big trouble." Mrs. Madness told me once we had approached the door. "Bring her inside." I nodded at her command and did as told.

We followed after her as she made her way to her private quarters. "You shouldn't have even brought her to the human world. You had no right! No parental vision and no authority to. I am beyond disappointed with you young one. Sit her down there." She ordered pointing to a chair besides her working table. She closed the door after me and disappeared behind a door. Seconds later she rejoined us.

"Can I ask how'd you know?" I asked hesitantly.

"I'm a seer Frank. I see these things. Now, did you sense anything strange whilst in the human world?"

"I, umm, I felt an uneasiness in the air, but I thought it was because I had gotten Sheer mad—that I was so off." She nodded her head and took down what I said on a note pad.

She looked upon her daughter and sighed softly. She laid her hand over Sheer's eyes and removed them. "She'll be unconscious for now," she says. "Go over to the shelf and retrieve me a memory potion." She ordered. I nodded and went over to one of the many mountainous shelves—I had worked as an assistant to Mrs. Madness one summer, to learn about portions and trickery—but it was only for a class that, I was going to be taking in school, come school time in the Falling. It worked out great but I rarely got to see Sheer, due to the fact that I was always busy either sorting out potions or helping Mrs. Madness. It was tiring work but it was all worth it.

I climbed up the ladder of the middle shelf to the seventh row. I got the portion that she wanted, and then descended the ladder carefully; making sure that the bottle didn't fall.

"Thank you." She said once I handed her the small bottle, she opened the cork of the bottle and took one of the small flat dishes filed with a white powdery substance and used a pipette to extract some of the purple liquid of the potion. She carefully, with a surgeon's hand squeezed two droplets of the liquid into the powder. The white powder turned into dark purple just like the liquid.

She hurriedly squeezed out the rest of the liquid back into the bottle and corked it. "What are we—?"

"Shh." I was cut off. Mrs. Madness made no eye contact as she focused on what she had just done. She stood up straight and walked over to Sheerness. She gently passed her hand on the top of Sheer's hair and then plucked out a strand of her orange hair. She eyes finally went to mine and she chuckled softly. "We never went over this potion, but it's not for apprentices. It's for a second level novice." She explained.

"So what's that for?" I asked pointing to the small dish with the powder and the memory potion in it.

"You'll see."

She walks back to her work table and lets the strand of Sheerness' hair fall into the powder. The solution dissolved the hair and burst into an orange fire. I shielded my face from the fire but Mrs. Madness stayed where she was. She didn't even flinch.

"W—what are you gonna do with that Mrs. M?" Mrs. Madness smiled crookedly at me.

The fire died down and the purple substance was now bright orange, like Sheer's hair.

"Move aside Frankie." Mrs. Madness orders. I moved and she took up the dish and walked over to Sheer's sleeping frame. "This power with help us see what Sheer saw in that park." She explained.

"I have a feeling you know everything that went down on earth... do you?"

"Frankie, honey, I know everything that happens. I just don't say that I do. It'll make the others freak out or complain and I don't want that—I have daughters. They'll hate that I know what they do without my knowledge."

"So wait, you know about Thunder and Pure?" I questioned cautiously.

She smirked at me. "I have known since three months ago." I chuckled lightly at that. Thank God my mother wasn't like that or I'd be grounded till death—which is impossible, because I'm immortal.

Mrs. Madness smiled at me and picked up a handful of the orange powder, she turned to Sheer and opened her hand and blew the brightly coloured powder over Sheer's unconscious body. I stayed back and observed as Mrs. M did her thing.

A blinding light burst out and a light foggy cloud appeared over Sheer's head. Mrs. M stood before her daughter and laid her hand down on her forehead.

I sat down and waited patiently for Mrs. M to be done.

A shaky gasp had my head snapping up. I sat awestricken at the sight of Mrs. M with her eyes wide open and her head tilted back. They were shockingly red and her skin was paler than normal. She was muttering in a foreign tongue and then suddenly stopped. I watched in awe as she cried, black tears ran down the sides of her cheeks.

"M—Mrs. M, are you o—okay?" I stammered cautiously moving towards her. I went in to touch her shoulder but froze when she turned around to face me. All her graceful beauty and normalcy were back in her eyes and her complexion.

"Sorry you had to see that. I should have warned you—I keep forgetting that you're not too familiar with my kind of magic." She apologized.

She smiled sweetly at me and stood up. "She'll be fine. She'll come to in a while."

"So what did you see?" All worry so visible in my voice. She sighed and turned back to me.

"It's a threat that I saw coming, but never thought that it would become a reality." She began. "Mrs. M, please…” I trailed off; the feeling of tears coming up had my choking down my words.

"What she saw when she left you were the red eyes of a Wicked, or in other words a Power Thief." She saw the questioning look in my eyes and continued. "Power Thieves are Wicked's who spy on potential beings who could turn out to be more powerful than expected and then when their suspicions provide to be true they capture them and manipulate or drain their powers for their own evil doings, but in this case Sheerness isn't just another ordinary being, she's a hatter. They want what she inherits."

"The hat." I whisper coldly.

"Exactly."

~Narration~

Frank still had his arm wrapped around Sheer's waist as they made their way back to his motorbike. "So, Sheery what happened back there when I came up to you?" he asked trying to conceal his worriedness, but sadly failing as his voice comes out soft and cautioned, Sheer said nothing to him as they neared Frank's bike and Robbin's car. Frank looked over Sheer's head to glance over at Robbin with a pointed gaze, but Robbin just shakes his head and pouts as he shrugged his shoulders up at him. Frank rolled his eyes at that.

Although he wasn't sure what happened to Sheer before he came to her, he could tell that it was somehow traumatic because Sheer was always talkative and, well now she wasn't saying a word and it kind of spooked him.

They got to the bike and Sheer said nothing as she moved over to the bike, she sat at the back of the bike and put on her helmet and waited for Frank to do the same since he was the one who could drive it. She stared straight forward, but Frank doubted that she was really looking at anything in particular.

"I better get going Robbie. I'll call you when I can." Frank sighed.

"It was nice to see you again Frankie. Bye Sheer." He said waving at her, we both turned to see if she made a move but no, nada, nothing she just continued to stare straight forward at nothing. "I gotta get going, bye, see you around." Frank said walking over to his bike and planting himself infront of Sheer she wasted no time as she hugged her arms tightly around his abdomen and pushed the glass of her helmet down to shield her eyes. Frank sighed out again and put on his helmet, but before he drove off down the road he covered Sheer's hands with his and gently squeezed her hand; he patted the back of her hand and kicked up his kick stand as he started the bike.

He was going to have to tell Sheer's mom about this and see if she could help in any way possible, because right now he missed his silly, funny, talkative Sheery.

 

~ ~ ~

 

~Frank's POV~

Unfortunately for me I had to say the return spell singlehandedly because Sheer was still zoned out and I was lost for what to do.

When we had reentered our own world I drove off down the road to Sheer's home. I needed to get her to her mother and see what in all that is ghoul happened to her while she was in that park. It was strange to me and I felt like it was all my fault. I shouldn't have asked her to come. It was my fault she had gotten mad in the first place, she should have never seen Robbin. It was too soon.

All these thoughts kept fighting a war within my mind and I was getting madder and madder at myself for letting all of this happen. Sheer already was paranoid about what happened this morning to begin with and I just help chuck a whole boat load of more complications on her plate. Gods aren't I stupid! This whole thing wouldn't have even went down if I had just told Sheer about Robbin and about my trips to the human world.

My thoughts were cut off when I drove up to Sheer's house to see her mother standing at the front door with a worried look sketched onto her face. I sighed to myself.

She knew...

I got off my bike and helped Sheer off as well. "Frank Stein you are in big trouble." Mrs. Madness told me once we had approached the door. "Bring her inside." I nodded at her command and did as told.

We followed after her as she made her way to her private quarters. "You shouldn't have even brought her to the human world. You had no right! No parental vision and no authority to. I am beyond disappointed with you young one. Sit her down there." She ordered pointing to a chair besides her working table. She closed the door after me and disappeared behind a door. Seconds later she rejoined us.

"Can I ask how'd you know?" I asked hesitantly.

"I'm a seer Frank. I see these things. Now, did you sense anything strange whilst in the human world?"

"I, umm, I felt an uneasiness in the air, but I thought it was because I had gotten Sheer mad--that I was so off." She nodded her head and took down what I said on a note pad.

She looked upon her daughter and sighed softly. She laid her hand over Sheer's eyes and removed them. "She'll be unconscious for now," she says. "Go over to the shelf and retrieve me a memory potion." She ordered. I nodded and went over to one of the many mountainous shelves--I had worked as an assistant to Mrs. Madness one summer, to learn about portions and trickery--but it was only for a class that I would be taking in school, come school time in the Falling. It worked out great but I rarely got to see Sheer, due to the fact that I was always busy, either sorting out potions or helping Mrs. Madness. It was tiring work but it was all worth it.

I climbed up the ladder of the middle shelf to the seventh row. I got the portion that she wanted, then descended the ladder carefully, making sure that the bottle didn't fall.

"Thank you." She said once I handed her the small bottle, she opened the cork of the bottle and took one of the small flat dishes filed with a white powdery substance and used a pipette to extract some of the purple liquid of the potion. She carefully, with a surgeon's hand squeezed two droplets of the liquid into the powder. The white powder turned into dark purple just like the liquid.

She hurriedly squeezed out the rest of the liquid back into the bottle and corked it. "What are we--."

"Shh." I was cut off. Mrs. Madness made no eye contact as she focused on what she had just done. She stood up straight and walked over to Sheerness. She gently passed her hand on the top of Sheer's hair and then plucked out a strand of her orange hair. She eyes finally went to mine and she chuckled softly. "We never went over this potion, but it's not for apprentices. It's for a second level novice." She explained.

"So, what's that for?" I asked pointing to the small dish with the powder and the memory potion in it.

"You'll see."

She walks back to her work table and let's the strand of Sheerness' hair fall into the powder. The solution dissolved the hair and burst into an orange fire. I shielded my face from the fire but Mrs. Madness stayed where she was. She didn't even flinch.

"W--What are you gonna do with that, Mrs. M?" Mrs. Madness smiled crookedily at me.

The fire died down and the purple substance was now bright orange, like Sheer's hair.

"Move aside Frankie." Mrs. Madness orders. I moved and she took up the dish and walked over to Sheer's sleeping frame. "This power with help us see what Sheer saw in that park." She explained.

"I have a feeling you know everything that went down on earth... do you?"

"Frankie, honey. I know everything that happens. I just don't say that I do. It'll make the others freak out or complain and I don't want that--I have daughters. They'll hate that I know what they do without my knowledge."

"So wait, you know about Thunder and Pure?" I questioned cautiously.

She smirked at me. "I have known since three months ago." I chuckled lightly at that. Thank God my mother wasn't like that or I'd be grounded till death--which is impossible, because I'm immortal.

Mrs. Madness smiled at me and picked up a handful of the orange powder, she turned to Sheer and opened her hand and blew the brightly coloured powder over Sheer's unconscious body. I stayed back and observed as Mrs. M did her thing.

A blinding light burst out and a light foggy cloud appeared over Sheer's head. Mrs. M stood before her daughter and laid her hand down on her forehead.

I sat down and waited patiently for Mrs. M to be done.

A shaky gasp had my head snapping up. I sat awestricken at the sight of Mrs. M with her eyes wide open and her head tilted back. They were shockingly red and her skin was paler than normal. She was muttering in a foreign tongue and then suddenly stopped. I watched in awe as she cried, black tears ran down the sides of her cheeks.

"M--Mrs. M, are you o--okay?" I stammered cautiously moving towards her. I went in to touch her shoulder but froze when she turned around to face me. All her graceful beauty and normalcy were back in her eyes and her complexion.

"Sorry you had to see that. I should have warned you--I keep forgetting that you're not too familiar with my kind of magic." She apologized.

She smiled sweetly at me and stood up. "She'll be fine. She'll come to in awhile."

"So, what did you see?" All worry so visible in my voice. She sighed and turned back to me.

"It's a threat that I saw coming, but never thought that it would become a reality." She began. "Mrs. M, please... " I trailed off, the feeling of tears coming up had my choking down my words.

"What she saw when she left you were the red eyes of a Wicked, or in other words a Power Theft." She saw the questioning look in my eyes and continued. "Power Thieves are Wicked's who spy on potential beings who could turn out to be more powerful then expected and then when their suspicions provide to be true they capture them and manipulate or drain their powers for their own evil doings, but in this case Sheerness isn't just another ordinary being, she's a hatter. They want what she inherits."

"The hat." I whisper coldly.

"Exactly."


	7. First day back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheer and her friends finally return to school to new students... and new problems?

~Sheer's POV~

I'd like mornings a lot better if they started later, I thought as my alarm clock cried its screeching screams from hell. My bedroom door burst open and Darkness stormed inside yanking up my clock, and throwing it with such fierceness, causing it to smash and shatter into pieces against the wall of my bedroom. I flew up in a sitting position and watched as my clock cloaked its last waning scream and I just sat in the middle of my bed in shock. My eyes shot up to Darkness as he straightened himself. "I'll buy you a new clock just please, I'm begging don't set an alarm. I'll wake you up every morning if I have to. But please no more alarms." He made his statement and left my room. I sat there with a question mark hanging over my head.

What in all that is immoral just happened? I shoved my covers off and knelt down on my bed to glance at the remains of my broken clock. I sighed at my lost, I mean, I wouldn't miss the screaming alarm, but I will miss that clock. It was a gift from Sandra Mannheim, the sandman's daughter. I jumped off my bed and stretched out the kinks in my body, then hopped on over to my bathroom.

My shower wasn’t a long one; I didn’t feel like staying under the water so early in the morning.

As I got dressed ‘Change’ by ‘Churchill played from my phone. I pulled on my new white floral designed short sleeved shirt, and then put on a long black fashion necklace. I danced my way over to my closet and got out my black high waist floral shorts with suspenders and pulled them on, snapping on the clips of my suspenders and then I sat down on the floor as I buckled my black strappy heels on. I was walking over to the window sit and got my handbag, swinging it over my shoulder, I was walking back to my bed when my cell began to ring, I picked it up before the third ring… "Hello?"

"Who’s your best vampire friend?" I shook my head. "Selene, you're my only best vampire friend."

She huffed on the other side of the phone. "Whatever. Anyways, where are you?"

"I'm at home." I said getting my bag and leaving out of my room. "Still!? Hurry up and get to school, the summer brings in new and hot ghouls and you're missing out." She squealed cheerily. I roll my eyes at her and walk into the kitchen, where Sweetness and Darkness sat eating. "No phones at the table." I jumped when mom popped out of nowhere. She so needs to stop doing that. "Okay, you don't have to scare that rule into me, mom. Hey Selene, we'll talk at school byes." I hung up the call and shoved my cell into my bag as I sat down next to my little sister. "Hey twins."

"Hey." They answer in unison, I glance at them both, "that was weird." They ignored me; I roll my eyes at them and started eating my hummingbird eggs and corn bread. I glanced over to Sweetness, to see how she was dressed—she was the most fashionable one by the way. But then again, I did have my own style. She was wearing a washed out army green top with cut off sleeves, with a royal blue high waist skirt, that was being held up by a brown leather belt, and she had on a pair of brown combat boots.

To me that was a very cute outfit. I looked over to Darkness to see him wearing a red t-shirt with black jeans and his signature black leather jacket on with his black boots. "Quit looking at me." I was startled when I heard his deep voice command me, my eyes meeting his. "I was just checking out how you were dressed." He looked back at me with his gray eyes looking dull as they shot me down. "And why do you care what I wear, you're not mom." He got up from the table and walked over to the sink. He set his plate down and swung his bag over his shoulder and left, calling to mom to tell her he was going. "Boys huh." I jumped up in my seat and whipped my head back to where Darkness was sitting. "Would you please stop popping up like that mother."

She shrugged at me. "I'm sorry honey; I just got so used to doing that. I promise I'll try and stop."

"Pff, good luck with that—anyways bye mom, see ya Sheer. Divia's here to pick me up." And she left too. I looked back at mom, and she smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "Hurry up eat honey, you don't wanna be late for your first day back at school." She hopped off the chair and disappeared somewhere down the hall. I swear she really needs to stop doing that.

I finished my breakfast and got my bag so that I could leave. "Bye mom!"

"Goodbye Sheerness." I twist back around to her and shake my head. She smiled guiltily and waved me off before disappearing again. I opened the door to leave and was shocked when I saw Frankie about to knock on the door. "Hey Sheery, I thought I'd pick you up, since I knew that you'd still be home." I nodded and didn't say anything as I closed the door and walked with him to his bright yellow car. I always used to tell him how much it marched his eyes. And speaking of his eyes, why does he have on sunglasses.

"So, how are you feeling Sheery?” He asked opening the door for me. I smiled at his gentleman ways and entered the car. He closed my door and hurried to the driver seat and got in next to me. "I'm feeling much better now. Thanks for asking."

"Your welcome."

"So, how'd you sleep?" I asked him clicking on my seatbelt. He tilted his head up at me and I glared at him, trying to see his eyes from under his dark shades, his eyes shun bright yellow from under the blackened glass.

"Why do you have those on Frankie?" He didn't answer, but his eyes went back to normal and he turned away from me. "Answer me Frank."

"I couldn't sleep last night." He replied putting his hand to the steering wheel. "Why not?" I asked silently.

"I was worrying about you. You didn't seem like yourself last night." He said, trying to hold back a yawn.

"Poor thing I'm so sorry that I made you lose sleep. Maybe you should stay home today. You don't look so good."

"I'm good, well I will be." No one said anything for a second. Frank sighed then started up the car. We both stayed quiet for the ride to school with Frankie still wearing those annoying shades—and as much as I was okay, from yesterday's episode, I still wanted to know why he didn't tell me about Robbin. And why the hicks was he wearing those darn shades!

He pulled to a stop in the student parking lot, but I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I just mindlessly opened the door without looking and heard as it hit someone. "Ah! You insulate girl!" Someone hissed. I gasped and looked up to see Hellvin Dagger. Oh my Goddess, just my luck, I just slammed a door into Hellvin Dagger’s face… cool, I just slammed a door in Hellvin Dagger's face, and felt no remorse. I actually smiled at that a little. I dismiss the feeling of joy and put on my worried voice and stood up from the car. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking—."

"Well, you should have been, you stupid girl!" He spat. I looked at him with surprise.

“Well then, I'm not sorry. And if I knew it was you, I'd've hit you harder!" I shot back.

When his eyes glowed red all the fight in me drained and flashes of yesterday afternoon on earth flashed in my head. "What, are you scared now?" He chuckled bitterly, eyes still red.

“Hey, leave her alone." It was Frankie that came up infront of me, pushing me behind his tall frame and cutting off those piercing eyes all at once.

"Oh please, you don't scare me Franken-freak." I could see as his brother Hellkin smiled crookedly, at the remark but Hellion's face stayed neutral. Frank opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when Darkness walked up to him. "What do you think you're doing?" I stood shocked behind Frankie as I listened to Darkness’ voice take on an ominous tone.

"Ah, Darkness, about time you showed up." He said cockily, eyes flashing red.

I peeked over Frankie's shoulder just in time to see Darkness getting up in Hellvin’s face and from then on I didn't hear a word being said, because my brother's voice dropped to a whisper, while his hand pressed down on Hellvin’s shoulder. I saw Hellvin's eyes blackened as it returned to its normal colour and his cocky expression dropped as Darkness whispered to him.

When he pulled back he turned from the brothers and side glanced at me when he passed by, walking away back into the school. My eyes followed him and when he couldn't be seen anymore, I then realized a crowd had gathered while I wasn't paying any mind to what was going on around myself. Hellvin said nothing, and just glared at me as he brushed Frankie out of his way when he saw that he was getting unneeded attention.

"What's with that prick?" Frankie gritted out. I shrugged at him and shut the door that was still partly open.

"Oh my Gods, what on all that is Texircia was that about?" Selene asked coming towards us, her nude 6-inch pumps clicking against the concrete sidewalk. "Well, are you guys gonna answer me or am I gonna have to ask Hellvin?" She asked impatiently. Both Frankie and I shared worried glances—oh but I couldn't tell what his eyes were saying because they were still covered by those damn shades!

"It was an honest to the Gods mistake. I didn't look to see who could have been walking up to the door and I hit him with it... by accident." I added when she gave me and incredulous look. "So why'd he get all red eyed and angry?" She asked.

"You saw that?" I ask sheepishly.

"Sheer the whole school saw that." She exaggerated.

"It's because the guy's a hotheaded jerk who likes to belittle people that's why." Frankie answered. I nod in agreement and swung my bag onto my shoulder. Selene tilted her head to the side. "Sadly for him, you're not one to be belittled." She said smiling.

"Whatever. What happened, happened so let's push this all behind us and try to enjoy our first day back." I said turning to walk to the school.

"What a way to kick off the new school year." Selene quipped as we all made our way toward the main doors. I roll my eyes at her and she chuckled and hooked her arm with mine.  


                                           

 

~ ~ ~  


 

 

We got to our new locker placement and to our luck; we were all right next to each other, Frankie, mine then Selene's. Frankie had opened his locker with gentleman ease while Selene leaned against hers, crossing her ankles as she folded her arms over her peach flowered corset crop top and matching high waist skirt that reached a few inches above her knees.

"So, Frankie what's with the terminator look?" Selene asked, addressing his shades. He chuckled humorlessly and shook his head at her as he looked her way. "Hey, it's your fashion craze—just don't involve any of us in it."

"Can't a guy change up his looks once in a while without him being hounded with questions?" He asked in a defensive tone. Selene held up her hands in a defensive notion. "I didn't mean to pry, but I only asked one question Frankie." I glanced between both of them and turned back to my locker—which I couldn't seem to unlock. "Here." Frankie took the combination from me and easily clicked the lock open. I looked up at him and smiled sheepishly. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"So, anyway Sheery, have you heard?" Selene asked taking out her cell.

"Heard what?" I asked placing my creature physics book into my locker. She rolled her eyes at me in annoyance. "Have you heard about the new kid?" I raised a brow at her and she sighed and continued. "Well, it's been going around town for a few days now—I have no idea how you didn't hear—anyways, his name is Riven Attoms, he's a brainiac—."

"Wait doesn't his little brother N.J (Nervin-Jr.) go here?" I asked shutting my locker.

Selene nodded at me. "He does, and Riven just transferred to this school because he got kicked out of his other one."

"Oh, another bad boy in our school, how pleasant." I smiled. Selene smiled too and nodded.

"Yep, another one to add to our notorious school." I agreed.

"So, what'd he do to get kicked out?" Frankie asked. Our smiles dropped as we turned to Frankie. "He pulled a huge prank on the headmaster and got expelled for it." I whipped back around to Selene with surprise in my eyes. "What was the prank?"

"Don't know, but it was bad enough to get him kicked out. But I’ll make sure I find out just what he did before lunchtime." She told us, groaning right after as she turned around to her locker. I glanced at Frankie then turned to see what made her so disgusted.

Chill, Jinx, Ivy, Franny and Vasilissa (Va-seal-lee-sa) were walking down the hall in our direction. They aren't the popular girls, but they were very powerful and very bad—well all except Franny, she's Frank's baby sister and she's really nice—it's sad that her friends aren't. but today she wasn't with them, maybe she was running late. I rolled my eyes at them and wondered why Darkness even talked with them. I turned back to my locker and reopened it. "Hi Sheer." A chill ran up my spine and I turned back around to see the fearsome group standing behind me. "Hi Chill." I answered, smiling sweetly at her. She snared at me.

"So, I heard you had a little run in with danger this morning."

 _Danger?_ I sighed when I caught on to what she was saying. "Yeah, what's it to you?"

"Nothing, just wanted to make sure that those brothers didn't scare you." Jinx chuckled at that and the urge to roll my eyes was strong. "I'm not that easy to scare."

"Oh really? Then why were you silenced once you saw his eyes go red?" I opened my mouth but shut it back when I couldn't find the words to tell her to go shove it. "Aww, wild cat's got your tongue?" She cooed. I scoffed and folded my arms and saw as Franny appear from thin air and mouthed the word 'sorry' to me.

"Hey, why don't you and your lackeys beat it Chill." Selene said coming up to stand beside me.

"Oh go bite something you lame excuse for a vampire." She spat.

"Well, I'd bite you but I don't favors the cold hearted." Chill raised a brow at that and was about to counteract when someone calling my name got our attention. "Darky, I was just asking your sister for you." Chill responded sweetly.

"Quit calling me that. Sheer are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, but your girlfriend here was just being her normal pain in the ass self." I quipped cheekily. Chill glared at me and I rolled my eyes. Darkness sighed out and shook his head. "If the Dagger brothers approach you again, call me."

"What are you, my big brother?"

"No, but you're still my sister; and Wickedness is still on earth." I bit back my words when he said that. "Whatever just keep your friends," I eyed Chill and her posse, "away from mine okay?" I shut my locker and left them to themselves.

"Wow, wow, wow Sheerness Madness grew some gall." Selene cheered as we walked down the hall. I rolled my eyes at her. "Whatever vamp, anyways what were you saying about this new boy?"

"Oh do you know that he lives right next door to Ivy?" I stopped in my tracks. "No-my-Gods!"

"Yes-my-Gods!" She said pulling me along with her. "I am so totally jelling. I mean you have to be as lucky as… well, Ivy to be living next to him." She said as she bit her bottom lip.

"So, how does he look—I mean N.J is pretty hot, so is he as hot, or hotter?"

"Oh, but no, he is super hotter Sheer. His hair is stark white with a few black highlights at the end and he’s kind of your complexion, and he's around Shocks height, and he is super attractive and the girls here are eating him up."

"I hope you don't mean that literally." I joked; Selene rolled her eyes playfully as we neared our class. "I don't—anyways this is our class, and I already hate it." She stated.

"What would school be if you didn't hate your classes straight off the back, huh Selene?" Selene threw Frankie a death glare over her shoulder—even though those shades shielded his eyes from us, I could still see as he cringed back. The two of them, broke out in a back and forth argument about whatever sorry insult came to mind. I ignored those two and walked over to the water fountain. I was parched.

I was just about to drink some water when my cell vibrated in my back pocket and I looked down at the screen to see a text message from… my dad? What does he want, then it hit me—no literally, someone hit me.

I gasped as I fell back, but an arm went around my waist to stop me from making a new relationship with the floor. When I looked up to see whom had caught me, my cheeks went hot red as I looked into the silver white eyes of a boy that I've never seen before.

Words were foreign to me as I stared into his eyes; he chuckled softly and stood me upright. "Are you okay?" His voice was like smooth velvet, and I was so close to him that my head went spinning from his sweet scent. "Can you talk?" I blushed even harder when I noticed what he asked; he must think that I was a mute who could only blush at his words.

"Umm, I—I mean I can talk. Umm, I just..." I shied away as I trailed off. He smiled and I swear to the Gods that I was blinded by his beauty.

He let go of me and I stood up straight infront of him. He bent down and picked up my cell that had fallen. "Is this yours?" He asked presenting, my phone. I nodded a bit too much and took it from his hand. Our hands brushed and it felt like my hand just caught fire. I blushed again and put my phone away.

"Where are my manners? I'm Riven Attoms, and you are? Wait, let me guess. By the reddish orange hair, you must be a hatter right?"

"Yeah, I'm Sheerness." Finally I managed actual words.

"Ahh, you're named after your father."

"Yeah, you a fan?" He smiled and nodded. "I've heard of the things that he does. Hey, is it true that your mom is a seductress?" He seemed kind of skeptical while he asked.

“Yes, she is."

"No lie." He asked surprised—the expression looked so damn attractive on him.

"No lie." I chuckled.

"Oh my ghouls, Sheerness!" I felt my cheeks redden as I whip around to see Selene eyeing me in amazement, and the blushing is back.

Selene smiled at me and walked up to us. "Why, hello there. Sheer, aren't you gonna introduce me to your friend?" She asked smugly. I glared heat her way, but sighed as I gave in.

"Umm Riven, this is my bgff (best ghoul friend forever) Selene Dracula, and Selene, you already know Riven’s name."

"How does she—." Riven got cut off by the bell. I breathed a breath of relief because I was just literally saved by the bell.

"Ohh well there goes the bell; we gotta get to class bye-bye now." I hurried, pulling Selene after me as I made my way to our class.

I pushed her through the door and went to the back of the class to sit. "What the ghoul Sheerness?" She asked marching down the aisle after me. I ignored her and sat down in the last row of tables, where it could fit three people.

“Why were you talking to Riven?” she asked flabbergasted.

“What do you mean, why was I talking to him?”

“I mean,” she stressed, “why were you talking to him?”

“I didn’t plan it,ok. I was getting some water then the next thing I know I’m falling all over my words trying not to sound like a fool while I talked to him—apparently he’s a fan of my father.” I note. Selene smiles at me and I roll my eyes. “Shut up.”

She raised her hands at me. “I didn’t say a word.” I huffed at her and set my bag on the desk. “What the hicks was that?”

“Oh my Gods in Olympus! What was what Frankie?” I was getting really annoyed with my friend’s reaction to my talking to this boy.

“Whoa, sorry I didn’t mean to upset you.” Frankie said as he took his seat next to Selene.

“You didn’t, I’m fine, I promise, just slightly lightheaded.”

“I wonder wh—.”

“Shut it Vampire.” I chuckled at Frankie, but luckily Selene said nothing else as Mrs. Loc walked into the class room.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Our underwater marine class went on without any more suspicious questioning from my friends and thank the Goddesses, I couldn’t and didn’t want to answer any more questions—but the one that mattered, like what kind of dangerous marine life lived in our poisonous waters that we have in the mucks far out into the rain forests.

The bell rang to signal the end of class. Selene, Frank and I checked our schedules and frowned when we saw that we had separate classes, all three of us sighed at the disappointment, but it was only because Selene had her writing class, Frank had his photography class and I had my music class, we quickly got over the different schedule plans and went our separate ways… for now anyways. Selene went to building 3, Frank to building 5 and I stayed in building 1, where I walked to my music class.

I pushed open the door, seeing only one other person inside—the bell hadn’t gone yet, so I was fairly early. “Hi, is this Mr. Mocking-Jay’s class?” I asked to the student that was already inside. The girl turned to face me and I recognized her as one of Sweetness’ friend. “It’s Minka,(Mink-ka) right?” I asked when she finally turns around. She was wearing a royal blue sweater that sags at one shoulder to reveal a green spaghetti strap; it matched her green short skirt, which she wore with black knee-high tights, with matching blue sandals on. Isn’t she a cutie?

She smiled at me and brushed away a lock of her thick brownish blonde curls. “Do you have this class also?” she nodded and blushed sheepishly, fixing her stylish boxy glasses. “Uh, yeah, it’s the only class I have that my friends aren’t in with me.” She said refereeing to her friends and my baby sister.

“Same here.” I said as I closed the door. The bell rang right after, and I sighed at the empty class.

“So, can you sing, play an instrument, or direct?” I asked as I came up to her... setting my bag down on one of the chairs in the second row.

“Oh, umm I—I si—sing a little.” She’s so shy, I smiled at her and she smiled back. “Okay, so since we have time on our hands and we’re alone here, how about you sing me a little something.”

“I—I—I’m really n—nervous about singing infront of others.”

“It’s just me Minka, come on, I believe in you.” I said for encouragement. It seemed as though she needed it, and I really wanted to hear her sing. She sighs and walks over to the piano, “Can you play?” she asked me.

“Uh, yeah, I can. My dad taught me.” I walk on over to her and sat at the piano, she stays standing and I see as she takes in a couple of deep breathes. “I know a song that’s easy to sing, it’s a collaboration, but the singing part is pretty easy.”

“What’s it called?” she asked tracing her finger along the side of the piano.

“It’s called ‘monster’ and it’s sung by two humans, singer Rihanna, and rapper Eminem. Wanna try out the chorus?” she nods and I smile and pull out my phone to look up the words. I hand her the phone and she takes in nervously. “Hey, it’s only me Minka.” She nods and smiles and I face the piano keys as I sing the chorus to her.

_“I’m friends with the monster that’s under my bed_

_Get along with the voices inside of my head…_

_You trying to save me stop holding your breath_

_And you think I’m crazy, yeah you think I’m crazy, but that’s not fair… oh ohh, oh ohh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh.”_

Minka hesitates and looks at me sadly. “Come on Minka, you can do it.” I encourage. I put my fingers to the keys and start playing, she breathes out and sings the words out. Her voice is soft and sweet and I can't say that I’m surprised that her voice sounds so angelic. She stops and I look up at her to see her eyes closed as she exhales a shaky breath.

“That was so good Minka, your voice is beautiful.”

“Yes, it is.” I shoot up from the bench and we both snap our heads up in the direction of the door to see a man with bright blue feathers all over his face and hands with rounded rim glasses sitting ontop of his yellow beak. I chuckled nervously when I noticed that he was our teacher Mr. Mocking-Jay.

He stood there with his arms folded over his chest. “I’m so sorry sir; we shouldn’t have been touching your piano without permission.” He shakes his hand and unfolds his arms as he walks into the classroom.

“It’s okay Sheerness; the classroom is open to all that have an ear for the musical arts.” I smile at him and turn back to Minka. “Wait, how do you know my name?”

“I know all my students by face and name.” he explains.

“Oh. Minka, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine; he just startled me a bit.”

“Sorry.” Sir said, scratching the back of his head.

“It’s okay.”

“Hey sir, is this the whole class?” I asked shutting the cover over the piano keys. Mr. Mocking-Jay chuckled and shook his head. “Actually no, the rest of the class is in the auditorium and I came back here because I forgot the leave a note on the door saying that we have class in there—and it’s a good thing I remembered now, or I’d have you girls waiting in here for me.”

“Umm, yeah thank the Gods that you came back. Come on Minka, let’s go.” I didn’t wait for her to say anything; I just grasped her wrist and pulled her along with me. Her shyness was making me feel like the big sister that I never got to be to Sweetness or Darkness—and no, I am a good sister, they just didn’t really need me to be one since they had three others.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Minka and I got to the auditorium before our teacher—who was still back in the class gathering something that he forgot, besides the note on the door. “Can we sit at the back?” she asked as we made our way down the aisle to meet the rest of the class. “Sure, if you want.” She smiled and led us to the row behind our class that wasn’t filled with any students. We sat down and I looked around for any familiar faces. A lot of the students were just sitting with their cliques of friends chatting and giggling and whatnot, when my eyes saw someone who I never expected to be in this class.

“Darkness?” I didn’t even notice my actions, because I had stood up and was looking directly at my little brother. He was leaning back against the wall parallel to us.

He glanced over at me—his face a stony structure that it always is. He doesn’t make a move and just stands there looking at me. “Sheerness don’t.” I look back at Minka to see a slight twinge of panic in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t call him over here.”

“Why not, he’s my brother?”

She sighs and rolls her eyes. “I know that, but please, Sheerness.”

I regard her, her green-grey eyes crying out for me not to call him over. I looked back up at him; he’s still watching me with that fixed gaze. I sighed and sat back down. “I won’t call him, and you can call me Sheer.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it—but why? Why don’t you want him to come over here?” she hesitates and bows her head as she pushes her curls out of her face. “Umm, I freeze up whenever he’s around.”

“But you aren’t an ice element.”

“No, but I get tongue-tied whenever he’s near.” She said blushing.

“You should really get that checked by a doctor and oh my Gods, you have a crush on him don’t you?” her eyes snap to me and she jumps up to cover my mouth. “Please, don’t say it out loud.” She begged. I pushed her hands away. “I won’t,” I chuckled, “but if you like him, just tell him that, he isn’t going to bite.”

“That’s the point; he knows that I like him.” When I gave her a questioning look she gazes at me and looks down at her shoes. “It’s me, I can’t even talk to him, he makes me nervous and I can’t find the right words to ever talk to him.”

“It’s not that hard to hold up a conversation with him. To start it up is maybe difficult, but once you get on a topic that both of you like, you can talk for hours.” My bit of encouragement didn’t seem to faze her, because she was biting her lip nervously as she rung her hands together. I huffed out a tiredly. “You’ll never know until you try.” Were my last words to her before Mr. Mocking-Jay walked back into the auditorium.

“Okay everyone, I’m back.” He announced as he walked up to the front of the room. There was unhappy mumbling from some students, but it didn’t seem as though the teacher heard. “Okay, so class, does anyone else know why we’re in here today?” he looked around the class, but no one seemed as though they wanted to answer—or were even interested in the real reason why. “Okay, no one? Hmm, okay then, I’ll just call someone out.” The mumbles grew into upset murmuring. His eyes scanned the room and I followed his gaze as his eyes stopped on Darkness—who was still leaning against the wall on the opposite side of where I was sitting. “Ah, Darkness how about you take a guess.”

He pushed up from the wall and walked towards the front of the room next to our teacher. “Darkness, do you know why we are in here?”

“Yes. We’re here because you want us to do a piece for the school’s musical ball that’s coming up in a few months.”

How does he know that?

“Good, thank you Darkness, you can go back to where you were before. Okay, now everyone we’re all going to practice this new song for the ball.” Sir went back to the table that he’d laid his things on and from what I could see, got out some song sheets.

I was getting out my cell when I saw a shadow appear infront of me, then a loud gasp. I looked up to see Darkness by our row and Minka looked as pale as a ghost. “Sheerness.”

“Darkness.”

“May I sit here?” he asking, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Sure.” I replied. He passed by Minka and sat down next to me; he turned to me and smiled brightly. I was taken aback at this and he knew it, but gave no thoughts on it and turned back to the front of the class.

“Minka, can you breath?” I asked, nudging her shoulder. She jumped and I sighed and sank down in my chair as Darkness handed me a music sheet. This is going to a long class.

~Sheer's POV~

I'd like mornings a lot better if they started later, I thought as my alarm clock cried its screeching screams from hell. My bedroom door burst open and Darkness stormed inside yanking up my clock, and throwing it with such fierceness, causing it to smash and shatter into pieces against the wall of my bedroom. I flew up in a sitting position and watched as my clock cloaked its last waning scream and I just sat in the middle of my bed in shock. My eyes shot up to Darkness as he straightened himself. "I'll buy you a new clock just please, I'm begging don't set an alarm. I'll wake you up every morning if I have to. But please no more alarms." He made his statement and left my room. I sat there with a question mark hanging over my head.

What in all that is immoral just happened? I shoved my covers off and knelt down on my bed to glance at the remains of my broken clock. I sighed at my lost, I mean, I wouldn't miss the screaming alarm, but I will miss that clock. It was a gift from Sandra Mannheim, the sandman's daughter. I jumped off my bed and stretched out the kinks in my body, then hopped on over to my bathroom.

My shower wasn't a long one; I didn't feel like staying under the water so early in the morning.

As I got dressed 'Change' by 'Churchill played from my phone. I pulled on my new white floral designed short sleeved shirt, and then put on a long black fashion necklace. I danced my way over to my closet and got out my black high waist floral shorts with suspenders and pulled them on, snapping on the clips of my suspenders and then I sat down on the floor as I buckled my black strappy heels on. I was walking over to the window sit and got my handbag, swinging it over my shoulder, I was walking back to my bed when my cell began to ring, I picked it up before the third ring... "Hello?"

"Who's your best vampire friend ever?" I shook my head. "Selene, you're my only best vampire friend."

She huffed on the other side of the phone. "Whatever. Anyways, where are you?"

"I'm at home." I said getting my bag and leaving out of my room. "Still!? Hurry up and get to school, the summer brings in new and hot ghouls and you're missing out." She squealed cheerily. I roll my eyes at her and walk into the kitchen, where Sweetness and Darkness sat eating. "No phones at the table." I jumped when mom popped out of nowhere. She so needs to stop doing that. "Okay, you don't have to scare that rule into me, mom. Hey Selene, we'll talk at school byes." I hung up the call and shoved my cell into my bag as I sat down next to my little sister. "Hey twins."

"Hey." They answer in unison, I glance at them both, "that was weird." They ignored me; I roll my eyes at them and started eating my hummingbird eggs and corn bread. I glanced over to Sweetness, to see how she was dressed-she was the most fashionable one by the way. But then again, I did have my own style. She was wearing a washed out army green top with cut off sleeves, with a royal blue high waist skirt, that was being held up by a brown leather belt, and she had on a pair of brown combat boots.

To me that was a very cute outfit. I looked over to Darkness to see him wearing a red t-shirt with black jeans and his signature black leather jacket on with his black boots. "Quit looking at me." I was startled when I heard his deep voice command me, my eyes meeting his. "I was just checking out how you were dressed." He looked back at me with his gray eyes looking dull as they shot me down. "And why do you care what I wear, you're not mom." He got up from the table and walked over to the sink. He set his plate down and swung his bag over his shoulder and left, calling to mom to tell her he was going. "Boys huh." I jumped up in my seat and whipped my head back to where Darkness was sitting. "Would you please stop popping up like that mother."

She shrugged at me. "I'm sorry honey; I just got so used to doing that. I promise I'll try and stop."

"Pff, good luck with that-anyways bye mom, see ya Sheer. Divia's here to pick me up." And she left too. I looked back at mom, and she smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "Hurry up eat honey, you don't wanna be late for your first day back at school." She hopped off the chair and disappeared somewhere down the hall. I swear she really needs to stop doing that.

I finished my breakfast and got my bag so that I could leave. "Bye mom!"

"Goodbye Sheerness." I twist back around to her and shake my head. She smiled guiltily and waved me off before disappearing again. I opened the door to leave and was shocked when I saw Frankie about to knock on the door. "Hey Sheery, I thought I'd pick you up, since I knew that you'd still be home." I nodded and didn't say anything as I closed the door and walked with him to his bright yellow car. I always used to tell him how much it marched his eyes. And speaking of his eyes, why does he have on sunglasses.

"So, how are you feeling Sheery?" He asked opening the door for me. I smiled at his gentleman ways and entered the car. He closed my door and hurried to the driver seat and got in next to me. "I'm feeling much better now. Thanks for asking."

"Your welcome."

"So, how'd you sleep?" I asked him clicking on my seatbelt. He tilted his head up at me and I glared at him, trying to see his eyes from under his dark shades, his eyes shun bright yellow from under the blackened glass.

"Why do you have those on Frankie?" He didn't answer, but his eyes went back to normal and he turned away from me. "Answer me Frank."

"I couldn't sleep last night." He replied putting his hand to the steering wheel. "Why not?" I asked silently.

"I was worrying about you. You didn't seem like yourself last night." He said, trying to hold back a yawn.

"Poor thing I'm so sorry that I made you lose sleep. Maybe you should stay home today. You don't look so good."

"I'm good, well I will be." No one said anything for a second. Frank sighed then started up the car. We both stayed quiet for the ride to school with Frankie still wearing those annoying shades-and as much as I was okay, from yesterday's episode, I still wanted to know why he didn't tell me about Robbin. And why the hicks was he wearing those darn shades!

He pulled to a stop in the student parking lot, but I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I just mindlessly opened the door without looking and heard as it hit someone. "Ah! You insulate girl!" Someone hissed. I gasped and looked up to see Hellvin Dagger. Oh my Goddess, just my luck, I just slammed a door into Hellvin Dagger's face... cool, I just slammed a door in Hellvin Dagger's face, and felt no remorse. I actually smiled at that a little. I dismiss the feeling of joy and put on my worried voice and stood up from the car. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking-."

"Well, you should have been, you stupid girl!" He spat. I looked at him with surprise.

"Well then, I'm not sorry. And if I knew it was you, I'd've hit you harder!" I shot back.

When his eyes glowed red all the fight in me drained and flashes of yesterday afternoon on earth flashed in my head. "What, are you scared now?" He chuckled bitterly, eyes still red.

"Hey, leave her alone." It was Frankie that came up infront of me, pushing me behind his tall frame and cutting off those piercing eyes all at once.

"Oh please, you don't scare me Franken-freak." I could see as his brother Hellkin smiled crookedly, at the remark but Hellion's face stayed neutral. Frank opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when Darkness walked up to him. "What do you think you're doing?" I stood shocked behind Frankie as I listened to Darkness' voice take on an ominous tone.

"Ah, Darkness, about time you showed up." He said cockily, eyes flashing red.

I peeked over Frankie's shoulder just in time to see Darkness getting up in Hellvin's face and from then on I didn't hear a word being said, because my brother's voice dropped to a whisper, while his hand pressed down on Hellvin's shoulder. I saw Hellvin's eyes blackened as it returned to its normal colour and his cocky expression dropped as Darkness whispered to him.

When he pulled back he turned from the brothers and side glanced at me when he passed by, walking away back into the school. My eyes followed him and when he couldn't be seen anymore, I then realized a crowd had gathered while I wasn't paying any mind to what was going on around myself. Hellvin said nothing, and just glared at me as he brushed Frankie out of his way when he saw that he was getting unneeded attention.

"What's with that prick?" Frankie gritted out. I shrugged at him and shut the door that was still partly open.

"Oh my Gods, what on all that is Texircia was that about?" Selene asked coming towards us, her nude 6-inch pumps clicking against the concrete sidewalk. "Well, are you guys gonna answer me or am I gonna have to ask Hellvin?" She asked impatiently. Both Frankie and I shared worried glances-oh but I couldn't tell what his eyes were saying because they were still covered by those damn shades!

"It was an honest to the Gods mistake. I didn't look to see who could have been walking up to the door and I hit him with it... by accident." I added when she gave me and incredulous look. "So why'd he get all red eyed and angry?" She asked.

"You saw that?" I ask sheepishly.

"Sheer the whole school saw that." She exaggerated.

"It's because the guy's a hotheaded jerk who likes to belittle people that's why." Frankie answered. I nod in agreement and swung my bag onto my shoulder. Selene tilted her head to the side. "Sadly for him, you're not one to be belittled." She said smiling.

"Whatever. What happened, happened so let's push this all behind us and try to enjoy our first day back." I said turning to walk to the school.

"What a way to kick off the new school year." Selene quipped as we all made our way toward the main doors. I roll my eyes at her and she chuckled and hooked her arm with mine.

 

~ ~ ~

 

We got to our new locker placement and to our luck; we were all right next to each other, Frankie, mine then Selene's. Frankie had opened his locker with gentleman ease while Selene leaned against hers, crossing her ankles as she folded her arms over her peach flowered corset crop top and matching high waist skirt that reached a few inches above her knees.

"So, Frankie what's with the terminator look?" Selene asked, addressing his shades. He chuckled humorlessly and shook his head at her as he looked her way. "Hey, it's your fashion craze-just don't involve any of us in it."

"Can't a guy change up his looks once in a while without him being hounded with questions?" He asked in a defensive tone. Selene held up her hands in a defensive notion. "I didn't mean to pry, but I only asked one question Frankie." I glanced between both of them and turned back to my locker-which I couldn't seem to unlock. "Here." Frankie took the combination from me and easily clicked the lock open. I looked up at him and smiled sheepishly. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"So, anyway Sheery, have you heard?" Selene asked taking out her cell.

"Heard what?" I asked placing my creature physics book into my locker. She rolled her eyes at me in annoyance. "Have you heard about the new kid?" I raised a brow at her and she sighed and continued. "Well, it's been going around town for a few days now-I have no idea how you didn't hear-anyways, his name is Riven Attoms, he's a brainiac-."

"Wait doesn't his little brother N.J (Nervin-Jr.) go here?" I asked shutting my locker.

Selene nodded at me. "He does, and Riven just transferred to this school because he got kicked out of his other one."

"Oh, another bad boy in our school, how pleasant." I smiled. Selene smiled too and nodded.

"Yep, another one to add to our notorious school." I agreed.

"So, what'd he do to get kicked out?" Frankie asked. Our smiles dropped as we turned to Frankie. "He pulled a huge prank on the headmaster and got expelled for it." I whipped back around to Selene with surprise in my eyes. "What was the prank?"

"Don't know, but it was bad enough to get him kicked out. But I'll make sure I find out just what he did before lunchtime." She told us, groaning right after as she turned around to her locker. I glanced at Frankie then turned to see what made her so disgusted.

Chill, Jinx, Ivy, Franny and Vasilissa (Va-seal-lee-sa) were walking down the hall in our direction. They aren't the popular girls, but they were very powerful and very bad-well all except Franny, she's Frank's baby sister and she's really nice-it's sad that her friends aren't. but today she wasn't with them, maybe she was running late. I rolled my eyes at them and wondered why Darkness even talked with them. I turned back to my locker and reopened it. "Hi Sheer." A chill ran up my spine and I turned back around to see the fearsome group standing behind me. "Hi Chill." I answered, smiling sweetly at her. She snared at me.

"So, I heard you had a little run in with danger this morning."

Danger? I sighed when I caught on to what she was saying. "Yeah, what's it to you?"

"Nothing, just wanted to make sure that those brothers didn't scare you." Jinx chuckled at that and the urge to roll my eyes was strong. "I'm not that easy to scare."

"Oh really? Then why were you silenced once you saw his eyes go red?" I opened my mouth but shut it back when I couldn't find the words to tell her to go shove it. "Aww, wild cat's got your tongue?" She cooed. I scoffed and folded my arms and saw as Franny appear from thin air and mouthed the word 'sorry' to me.

"Hey, why don't you and your lackeys beat it Chill." Selene said coming up to stand beside me.

"Oh go bite something you lame excuse for a vampire." She spat.

"Well, I'd bite you but I don't favors the cold hearted." Chill raised a brow at that and was about to counteract when someone calling my name got our attention. "Darky, I was just asking your sister for you." Chill responded sweetly.

"Quit calling me that. Sheer are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, but your girlfriend here was just being her normal pain in the ass self." I quipped cheekily. Chill glared at me and I rolled my eyes. Darkness sighed out and shook his head. "If the Dagger brothers approach you again, call me."

"What are you, my big brother?"

"No, but you're still my sister; and Wickedness is still on earth." I bit back my words when he said that. "Whatever just keep your friends," I eyed Chill and her posse, "away from mine okay?" I shut my locker and left them to themselves.

"Wow, wow, wow Sheerness Madness grew some gall." Selene cheered as we walked down the hall. I rolled my eyes at her. "Whatever vamp, anyways what were you saying about this new boy?"

"Oh do you know that he lives right next door to Ivy?" I stopped in my tracks. "No-my-Gods!"

"Yes-my-Gods!" She said pulling me along with her. "I am so totally jelling. I mean you have to be as lucky as... well, Ivy to be living next to him." She said as she bit her bottom lip.

"So, how does he look-I mean N.J is pretty hot, so is he as hot, or hotter?"

"Oh, but no, he is super hotter Sheer. His hair is stark white with a few black highlights at the end and he's kind of your complexion, and he's around Shocks height, and he is super attractive and the girls here are eating him up."

"I hope you don't mean that literally." I joked; Selene rolled her eyes playfully as we neared our class. "I don't-anyways this is our class, and I already hate it." She stated.

"What would school be if you didn't hate your classes straight off the back, huh Selene?" Selene threw Frankie a death glare over her shoulder-even though those shades shielded his eyes from us, I could still see as he cringed back. The two of them, broke out in a back and forth argument about whatever sorry insult came to mind. I ignored those two and walked over to the water fountain. I was parched.

I was just about to drink some water when my cell vibrated in my back pocket and I looked down at the screen to see a text message from... my dad? What does he want, then it hit me-no literally, someone hit me.

I gasped as I fell back, but an arm went around my waist to stop me from making a new relationship with the floor. When I looked up to see who had caught me, my cheeks went hot red as I looked into the silver white eyes of a boy that I've never seen before.

Words were foreign to me as I stared into his eye his; he chuckled silently and stood me upright. "Are you okay?" His voice was like smooth velvet, and I was so close to him that my head went spinning from his sweet scent. "Can you talk?" I blushed even harder when I noticed what he asked; he must think that I was a mute who could only blush at his words.

"Umm, I-I mean I can talk. Umm, I just..." I shied away as I trailed off. He smiled and I swear to the Gods that I was blinded by his beauty.

He let go of me and I stood up straight infront of him. He bent down and picked up my cell that had fallen. "Is this yours?" He said presenting, my phone. I nodded a bit too much and took it from his hand. Our skin brushed and it felt like my hand just caught fire. I blushed again and put my phone away.

"Where are my manners? I'm Riven Attoms, and you are? Wait, let me guess. By the reddish orange hair, you must be a hatter right?"

"Yeah, I'm Sheerness." Finally I managed actual words.

"Ahh, you're named after your father."

"Yeah, you a fan?" He smiled and nodded. "I've heard of the things that he does. Hey, is it true that your mom is a seductress?" He seemed kind of skeptical while he asked.

"Yes, she is."

"No lie." He asked surprised-the expression looked so damn attractive on him.

"No lie." I chuckled.

"Oh my ghouls, Sheerness!" I felt my cheeks redden as I whip around to see Selene eyeing me in amazement, and the blushing is back.

Selene smiled at me and walked up to us. "Why, hello there. Sheer, aren't you gonna introduce me to your friend?" She asked smugly. I glared heat her way, but sighed as I gave in.

"Umm Riven, this is my bgff (best ghoul friend forever) Selene Dracula, and Selene, you already know Riven's name."

"How does she-." Riven got cut off by the bell. I breathed a breath of relief because I was just literally saved by the bell.

"Ohh well there goes the bell; we gotta get to class bye bye now." I hurried, pulling Selene after me as I made my way to our class.

I pushed her through the door and went to the back of the class to sit. "What the ghoul Sheerness?" She asked matching down the aisle after me. I ignored her and sat down in the last row of tables, where it could fit three people.

"Why were you talking to Riven?" she asked flabbergasted.

"What do you mean, why was I talking to him?"

"I mean," she stressed, "why were you talking to him?"

"I didn't plan it, I was getting some water then the next thing I know I'm falling all over my words trying not to sound like a fool while I talked to him-apparently he's a fan of my father." I note. Selene smiles at me and I roll my eyes. "Shut up."

She raised her hands at me. "I didn't say a word." I huffed at her and set my bag on the desk. "What the hicks was that?"

"Oh my Gods in Olympus! What was what Frankie?" I was getting really annoyed with my friends reaction to my talking to this boy.

"Whoa, sorry I didn't mean to upset you." Frankie said as he took his seat next to Selene.

"You didn't, I'm fine, I promise, just slightly lightheaded."

"I wonder wh-."

"Shut it Vampire." I chuckled, at Frankie, but luckily Selene said nothing else as Mrs. Loc walked into the class room.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Our underwater marine class went on without any more suspicious questioning from my friends and thank the Goddesses, I couldn't and didn't want to answer any more questions-but the one that mattered, like what kind of dangerous marine life lived in our poisonous waters that we have in the mucks far out into the rain forests.

The bell rang to signal the end of class. Selene, Frank and I checked our schedules and frowned when we saw that we had separate classes, all three of us sighed at the disappointment, but it was only because Selene had her writing class, Frank had his photography class and I had my music class, we quickly got over the different schedule plans and went our separate ways... for now anyways. Selene went to building 3, Frank to building 5 and I stayed in building 1, where I walked to my music class.

I pushed open the door, seeing only one other person inside-the bell hadn't gone yet, so I was fairly early. "Hi, is this Mr. Mocking-Jay's class?" I asked a student that was already inside. The girl turned to face me and I recognized her as one of Sweetness' friend. "It's Minka, right?" I ask when she finally turns around. She was wearing a royal blue sweater that sags at one shoulder to reveal a green spaghetti strap; it matched her green short skirt, which she wore with black knee-high tights, with matching blue sandals on. Isn't she a cutie?

She smiled at me and brushed away a lock of her thick brownish blonde curls. "Do you have this class also?" she nodded and blushed sheepishly, fixing her stylish boxy glasses. "Uh, yeah, it's the only class I have that my friends aren't in with me." She said refereeing to her friends and my baby sister.

"Same here." I said as I closed the door. The bell rang right after, and I sighed at the empty class.

"So, can you sing, play an instrument, or direct?" I asked as I came up to her... setting my bag down on one of the chairs in the second row.

"Oh, umm I-I si-sing a little." She's so shy, I smiled at her and she smiled back. "Okay, so since we have time on our hands and we're alone here, how about you sing me a little something."

"I-I-I'm really n-nervous about singing infront of others."

"It's just me Minka, come on, I believe in you." I said for encouragement. It seemed as though she needed it, and I really wanted to hear her sing. She sighs and walks over to the piano, "Can you play?" she ask me.

"Uh, yeah, I can. My dad taught me." I walk on over to her and sit at the piano, she stays standing and I see as she takes in a couple of deep breathes. "I know a song that's easy to sing, it's a collaboration but the singing part is pretty easy."

"What's it called?" she asked tracing her finger along the side of the piano.

"It's called 'monster and it's sung by two humans, singer Rihanna, and rapper Eminem. Wanna try out the chorus?" she nods and I smile and pull out my phone to look up the words. I hand her the phone and she takes in nervously. "Hey, it's only me Minka." She nods and smiles and I face the piano keys as I sing the chorus to her.

"I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed

Get along with the voices inside of my head...

You trying to save me stop holding your breath

And you think I'm crazy, yeah you think I'm crazy, but that's not fair... oh ohh, oh ohh, oh ohhh, oh ohhh."

Minka hesitates and looks at me sadly. "Come on Minka, you can do it." I encourage. I put my fingers to the keys and start playing, she breathes out and sings the words out. Her voice is soft and sweet and I can't say that I'm surprised that her voice sounds so angelic. She stops and I look up at her to see her eyes closed as she exhales a shaky breath.

"That was so good Minka, your voice is beautiful."

"Yes, it is." I shoot up from the bench and we both snap our heads up in the direction of the door to see a man with bright blue feathers all over his face and hands with rounded rim glasses sitting ontop of his yellow beak. I chuckled nervously when I noticed that he was our teacher Mr. Mocking-Jay.

He stood there with his arms folded over his chest. "I'm so sorry sir; we shouldn't have been touching your piano without permission." He shakes his hand and unfolds his arms as he walks into the classroom.

"It's okay Sheerness; the classroom is open to all that have an ear for the musical arts." I smile at him and turn back to Minka. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

"I know all my students by face and name." he explains.

"Oh. Minka, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine; he just startled me a bit."

"Sorry." Sir said, scratching the back of his head.

"It's okay."

"Hey sir, is this the whole class?" I asked shutting the cover over the piano keys. Mr. Mocking-Jay chuckled and shook his head. "Actually no, the rest of the class is in the auditorium and I came back here because I forgot the leave a note on the door saying that we have class in there-and it's a good thing I remembered now, or I'd have you girls waiting in here for me."

"Umm, yeah thank the Gods that you came back. Come on Minka, let's go." I didn't wait for her to say anything; I just grasped her wrist and pulled her along with me. Her shyness was making me feel like the big sister that I never got to be to Sweetness or Darkness-and no I am a good sister, they just didn't really need me to be one since they had three others.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Minka and I got to the auditorium before our teacher-who was still back in the class gathering something that he forgot, besides the note on the door. "Can we sit at the back?" she asked as we made our way down the aisle to meet the rest of the class. "Sure, if you want." She smiled and led us to the row behind our class that wasn't filled with any students. We sat down and I looked around for any familiar faces. A lot of the students were just sitting with their cliques of friends chatting and giggling and whatnot, when my eyes saw someone who I never expected to be in this class.

"Darkness?" I didn't even notice my actions, because I had stood up and was looking directly at my little brother. He was leaning back against the wall parallel to us.

He glanced over at me-his face a stony structure that it always is. He doesn't make a move and just stands there looking at me. "Sheerness don't." I look back at Minka to see a slight twinge of panic in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Don't call him over here."

"Why not, he's my brother?"

She sighs and rolls her eyes. "I know that, but please, Sheerness."

I regard her, her green-grey eyes crying out for me not to call him over. I looked back up at him; he's still watching me with that fixed gaze. I sighed and sat back down. "I won't call him, and you can call me Sheer."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it-but why? Why don't you want him to come over here?" she hesitates and bows her head as she pushes her curls out of her face. "Umm, I freeze up whenever he's around."

"But you aren't an ice element."

"No, but I get tongue-tied whenever he's near." She said blushing.

"You should really get that checked by a doctor and oh my Gods, you have a crush on him don't you?" her eyes snap to me and she jumps up to cover my mouth. "Please, don't say it out loud." She begged. I pushed her hands away. "I won't," I chuckled, "but if you like him, just tell him that, he isn't going to bite."

"That's the point; he knows that I like him." When I gave her a questioning look she gazes at me and looks down at her shoes. "It's me, I can't even talk to him, he makes me nervous and I can't find the right words to ever talk to him."

"It's not that hard to hold up a conversation with him. To start it up is maybe difficult, but once you get on a topic that both of you like, you can talk for hours." My bit of encouragement didn't seem to faze her, because she was biting her lip nervously as she rung her hands together. I huffed out a tiredly. "You'll never know until you try." Were my last words to her before Mr. Mocking-Jay walked back into the auditorium.

"Okay everyone, I'm back." He announced as he walked up to the front of the room. There were unhappy mumbling from some students, but it didn't seem as though the teacher heard. "Okay, so class, does anyone else know why we're in here today?" he looked around the class, but no one seemed as though they wanted to answer-or were even interested in the real reason why. "Okay, no one? Hmm, okay then, I'll just call someone out." The mumbles grew into upset murmuring. His eyes scanned the room and I followed his gaze as his eyes stopped on Darkness-who was still leaning against the wall on the opposite side of where I was sitting. "Ah, Darkness how about you take a guess."

He pushed up from the wall and walked towards the front of the room next to our teacher. "Darkness, do you know why we are in here?"

"Yes. We're here because you want us to do a piece for the school's musical ball that's coming up in a few months."

How does he know that?

"Good, thank you Darkness, you can go back to where you were before. Okay, now everyone we're all going to practice this new sound for the ball." Sir went back to the table that he'd laid his things on and from what I could see, got out some song sheets.

I was getting out my cell when I saw a shadow appear infront of me, then a loud gasp. I looked up to see Darkness by our row and Minka looked as pale as a ghost. "Sheerness."

"Darkness."

"May I sit here?" he asking, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Sure." I replied. He passed by Minka and sat down next to me; he turned to me and smiled brightly. I was taken aback at this and he knew it, but gave no thoughts on it and turned back to the front of the class.

"Minka, can you breath?" I asked, nudging her shoulder. She jumped and I sighed and sank down in my chair as Darkness handed me a music sheet. This is going to a long class.


	8. Brothers that trouble and Eyes that threaten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day back in class and things aren't sailing smoothly as they should have been. At home not everything goes as it should and Sheer faces a troubling situation

~Sheer's POV~

Music class was filled with Minka being red faced and quiet all day, Darkness being a cocky ass with his smirking and annoying nature, other students joking around with the instruments and sir getting a little bit too aggravated. So, basically to sum this up, class was TERRIBLE!

I stormed out of that class so fast, that I shoved open the doors so hard that they hit the wall and I think it cracked slightly.

The halls were already crowded with other students but I didn't care, I began to match off down the hall, but a hand grasped mine, I angrily yanked my hand away and snapped around to face Darkness.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Freak off Darkness!" I barked, whipping back around to start walking off again. He pulled me back before I had time to walk away—I shoved him away. "Come on Sheer, I was just messing around." He said, trying to justify his actions by claiming he was joking around.

"Yeah, well I think you're lying—you were doing that on purpose Darkness!"

"Look, quit yelling." he said pulling me from the middle of the hallway to the side by some lockers. “Can't you take a joke sis?” I glared at him and he held up his hands in defense. “I love you.” He tried, I rolled my eyes and he pulled me against him as he hugged me. I chuckled at him and pushed him away. “You’re not getting away with this, you know that right?” he chuckled and brushed the hair on my forehead away and kissed my forehead.

“You suck.”

He laughs and drapes his arm over my shoulders as he pulls me close to his side. “I know Sheerness, I know.”

“You know you made Minka extremely uncomfortable right?” I asked looking up at him—he was a few inches taller than me even though he is younger than me. He bit his lip and looked at me. “Yeah, I should probably apologize right?” I nodded my head and he tried not to smile when he did so. “Jerk.” I stated, elbowing him in his side. He giggled and started walking with me down the hall towards the lunchroom.

 

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

 

We got the lunchroom to find it completely filled to the rim. “Wow.”

“Yeah, there are a lot of new students here. Before Summer’s peak our school got credited as the most well established school in the state.”

“Why do you know all of this?”

“I read, when I’m not doing anything.” I shake my head at him and move from under his arm. “Well I’m gonna find my friends, bye-bye now.” I turned and started walking away from him.

Lunch period was so crazy. A Wicked and a Monster got into an argument, then that started a physical fight and then it led into a food fight—the two of them had to be pinned down to the ground by the security guards. Our headmistress wasn’t pleased in the least.

The fight had gotten so out of control that they had to release school early because of the damage done to some of the rooms—oh yeah didn’t I mention they smashed through some walls while they were fighting like humans pigs. There was so much buzz going on after the fight that the teachers had a hard time calming us all down so they released us earlier than expected.

My first day back was kinda awesome—excluding Darkness’ unexpected behavior today in music class. It was strange and well, kind of different of him, but then again he does have our mother’s sense of humor plus a dark mind, which is a bad combo. All in all it was… okay.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

~Narration~

Selene and Sheer were busy talking about what happened in the lunchroom as Frank drove to Sheer’s house. “So, when are your parents leaving for their trip Sheer?” Selene asked as she looked at herself in her compact mirror.

“Umm, I don’t know—actually my dad texted me earlier, but I never got around to reading it. I’m gonna read it now.”

Sheer takes her cell out and opens the message and reads her father’s message:

‘ _Sheerness, your mother and I have left for our three day trip, we expect you to look after the twins and make sure that they don’t do anything wild. Lustfulness, Pureness and Kindness are all with us, so you are in charge._

_I texted the twins after I sent you this message, they know about this, so please don’t destroy the house before we get back._

_Love Dad_ ’

She exited the text and smiled to herself. “What’s did the text say Sheer?” Selene asked as she closed her mirror.

“It said that I’m basically home alone with the twins for three days.” Sheer announces happily.

“OMGS, do you know what that means?” Selene said smiling deviously. Sheer rolls her eyes at her and goes through her cell. “Selene, we are not throwing a party.” Sheer said, discouraging all Selene’s naughty thoughts of throwing a super-out-of-control party. Selene pouted at her and sighed.

“Then what do you wanna do Sheer? When do you get this type of freedom?”

“I just don’t wanna get in trouble, you know what my punishment will be if I do throw a party.”

“Okay, so what do you wanna do then?” Frank asked as he parked infront of her house. Sheer shrugged her shoulders and slouched back in the front seat. “I don’t know, let’s just go inside.” Frank turns off the car and they all leave the car and walk up the front stairs. Sheer feels the chill of the wind, but looks around and doesn’t see the trees shaking or anything. She brushes it off and unlocks the front door, Selene and Frank follow Sheer into the empty house—apparently the twins weren’t home yet. “Do you think I should call the twins?”

“For what?” Selene asks modeling her way into the living room.

“To see where they are, duh.” Selene rolls her eyes and comes over to sit her royal behind down on the single chair. Sheer passes by her and dumps her handbag on her bestfriends lap; Selene gasps and scolds at her. “Sheerness.” She groans.

“You called me?” Sheer asked as she turned around, Selene glares heat at her and Sheer actually chuckles as she walks off. “Oh stop being a sour vamp.” She huffed and Sheer kept on walking, going into the kitchen directly after the living room.

Selene folded her arms over her chest and sat there watching around the room to see the details and furniture seeming… different. She looked at Frank to see him banging his head to the music playing in his earphones. “Hey Sheer.” Selene called.

“Yes, sour vamp?”

“Umm, did your parents change the living room or something?” Sheer peeked her head out of the kitchen to look at Selene. “Uh, actually if you noticed, the whole house is ‘changed up’. My parents always reimage the house before leaving on a trip—they’ve changed it so much that I’ve even forgotten how many times that they did it.” Selene sighed and stood up from the chair and walked around the new Victorian styled living room. “Do your parents like the human Victorian era?”

“Yes, remember, my parents lived in the human world many centuries ago and they saw the Victorian era as it bloomed and I think they admired it more when they were in Great Britain and in America.”

“Your parents were together since those times?”

“Very much so,” Sheer said walking out of the kitchen with three cups of ice scream. “My parents were in love from day one—they hated each other when they first crossed paths and both of them just knew that they’d be together forever.” She turns to face Sheer and takes one of the cups of ice scream. “How does that even happen? Love at first hatred?”

Sheer chuckled and sits down in the chair opposite Selene’s. “Yeah, well it’s complicated, but I guess they had that feeling of ‘I love you, but I hate you too’, “its love vamp, it’s complicated, it was never meant to be easy and if it was well, what’s the point?”

“What do you mean what’s the point? Easy love should be great, right?” she asked sitting back down in the chair. Sheer takes a spoonful of the ice scream and sighs. “If you have to ask vamp, then you’re not ready for the answer.” Selene huffs out at that and eats her ice scream with an annoyed look on. “I’m bored Sheer.”

“Well, then go jump off a cliff.” Frank suggests

“Why don’t you go dig a grave and lie in Franken-dead!”

“Really, that is so cruel. At least you can actually fly, and I’m not living dead.”

“Yeah, says your bolts coming from your neck—they might be invisible but that still doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.” She quipped. Sheerness was ignoring this bicker—as she always did because she was still thinking back to yesterday and this morning when she and Hellvin clashed, just slightly.

Red eyes, but how?

“Frankie?”

“Yes, Sheery?”

“What did my mom tell you about what happened yesterday?” she wasn’t even looking at him, but looking straightforward while she asked him this. “Wait, what happened yesterday?” Selene asked them. Neither of them answered her and this started to tick her off. “Someone better answer me now or I’ll make both of you tell me by force.” The silence stretched on for a while till Frank decided to speak up. “Okay, so yesterday I took Sheer with me to the human world?”

“THE HUMAN WORLD? ARE YOU MAD FRANK STEIN?!!” Selene yelled as she shot up from her chair, eyes flaring red as her fangs grew out. Sheer glanced up at her and gasped as she froze. “Selene quit it with the red eyes, you’re scaring her!!” he yelled, getting up to go to Sheer’s side.

“Hey Sheerypie are you okay?” She shook her head and he wrapped his arms around her. Selene calmed down once she saw that Sheer was really frightened and quivering in Frank’s arms. “Oh my Goddesses Sheer… I—I didn’t mean to.” She came and knelt infront of her besides Frank and rested a hand on her knee. She looks at Frank with a sober expression and guilt in her dark eyes. “Frankie, what happened to her?”

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

After Frank and Selene calmed Sheerness back down, Frank sat down and told Selene about what went down while on earth, and then told both girls about what Mrs. Madness said about the Power Theft’s. “Wow Sheer, this is mega out of this world serious. So, what are you gonna do?”

“Mrs. Madness suggested that she watch her back and that if she has to go out anywhere that she always goes with someone.”

“Okay, well I’m sleeping over until your parents get back. Frankie are you staying too?” she asked pulling out her cell. He nodded and Selene dialed up her father’s number.

“Hello, daddy? Hi, I’ll be staying over at Sheer’s okay, her parents are out of town with her older sisters and it’s just her and the twins. Yeah, I know but I’ll come home for some clothes daddy. Yes. I’m staying over because there are Power Theft’s marking her. Yes, yes daddy it’s terrifying for her, but we’ll be here to make sure that she’s protected. Yes, I’ll call if we need help. Love you daddy, bye-bye. Tell my mother’s I said goodnight.” She clicked off the call and turned back to her friends who were hiding their smiles.

“What? My daddy and I have a good bond.” They chuckled and Sheer stood up from the chair and picked up her bag from the floor where Selene had set it down. “I’m going upstairs, you coming?”

“Wait we have to go over to my place for some clothes.” Frank sighed and stood up from his perch, do I have to drive? Can’t you fly home and come back?”

“Dude, it’s kind of sunny outside, it’ll get a sun burn.”

“But it won’t kill you.”

“Yeah, but I’ll be peeling away at cracked skin for a week if I fly, please Frankie?” she said pouting out her bottom lip like a baby. Frank gave in and started walking towards the door. “Sheer, are you coming?”

“You guys will be just a few minutes, I’ll be alright, and besides Darkness should be on his way home all now, so you guys can go get your stuff.”

“Sheer are you sure?” Selene looked worried. Sheer walked up to her and smiled reassuringly and rested her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I’ll be fine vamp, I promise.” She turned her around and Frank sighed and gave her a curious glare. Sheer glanced up at him. “Dude, my mom has a protection shield over this house. I’ll be fine. Now go before it gets too late.” She shooed her friends out the door and watched as they got in the car and sped off down the road.

 

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Something was still unnerving Sheer so she decided to call her brother to see where he was. She pulled out her cell and dialed Darkness’ number.

‘Yes?’

‘Where are you?’

‘On my way home, why?’

‘How long will you take?’

‘A few minutes.’

‘Ok, then, well I’m home alone so hurry get here.’

‘Ok Sheerness. Bye.’

‘Bye.’

She clicked off the call and went inside, shutting and locking the door after her. She leaned back against the door and looked around at the new style of her home and smiled at her parents design choice. The black and red really made the place look like a vampire’s household. She chuckled at the thought and pushed off from the door. She got her bag and went upstairs to her room.

She pushed open her room door to see her room completely recolored and was beyond impressed. “Wow, A+ mom.” She chuckled. She hung her bag on the back of the door and went over to her music player, she turned it on and flipped through the music choices, she came to a song that she has hardly played and turned it on, the low drum beats of ‘Counting sheep to the rhythm of the war drums’, by ‘A Perfect Circle’ started playing. “… safe from pain, and truth, and trust, and the poison devils…” she sang as she took her shoes off and exchanged them for slippers.

Sheerness was busy dancing and singing along to the song and didn’t notice as the wind picked up outside. She turned around to change the song and halted when furious red eyes greeted her from the tree outside her window. The eyes seemed as if they were coming closer and closer to her, she moved back slowly—eyes still trained on the pair of eyes that continued coming closer. The wind outside grew stronger and stronger, and then the eyes vanished.

Sheerness hesitated for a short moment as silence fell over the whole room. She breathed out in relief. The window crashed open—throwing shards of glass forward as a smoky figure with burning red eyes reached for her. Sheerness shrieked—frozen no more as she ran for the door.

It was locked!

_‘Sheerness…’_

She pulled the doorknob with all her might as she screamed at the top of her lungs. She crouched down against the wall besides her bedside table holding her head down as she tried to shut out her eminent death.

The figure got closer and closer to her and just when the hands of the figure were about to grab for her, her door flew open and the figure vanished within the blink of an eye. Sheerness screamed when strong arms encircled her. “Let go! Let me go! Get off!!!”

“Sheerness! Sheerness! It’s me Darkness!” her brother announced as he tried to get her to calm down. “No… no…” she wept against his chest as he held her tight to him. Darkness looked around the room to see shards of glass scattered near the window, but the glass was completely intact. He held his sister close as her crying calmed down.

Footsteps sounded from down the hall. Frank, Selene, and Sweetness ran up to Sheerness’ room to see her weeping in Darkness’ arms as they both knelt on the floor of her bedroom. The trio took in the sight of the room, seeing the glass shards and the semi-disheveled room. They all shared troubled glances, wondering what could have happened while they were gone.

“Shh, Sheerness, you’re safe now” Darkness pulled back, brushed away tendrils of her hair back and held her face in his palms, “hey, are you okay?” tears ran down her cheeks as she shook her head. No, it was the first time those eyes had ever threatened her, the first time the ever formed a shape and attempted to attack her.

“Sheery…?” Frank called. She didn’t acknowledge him she only buried her face back against her brother’s chest as he embraced her. He hugged her as she shook in his arms and thought of calling their parents, sadly he had no clue why she was this terrified. Darkness pushed back from Sheer a little and picked her up as he stood up; she hugged him around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her out of her room. “Let’s get her out of this room.” Darkness said as he walked towards the stairs, followed by Selene, Frank and Sweetness.

Shock, Divia, Minka and Asia stood up from the couch as soon as they saw Darkness coming down the stairs with Sheerness in his arms.

“What’s wrong with Sheerness?” Divia asked as she walked towards them.

“We don’t know, now excuse me.” He went over to the living room and laid her down on the couch. The eight of them surrounded Sheerness on the couch. “Guys, quit crowding her up. Give her some air.”

“The eyes… the eyes.” Sheer whispered as she sat up.

“Sheer, what eyes?” her brother asked as he touched her arm.

She turned to Darkness, a tear escaped her eye. “The red eyes…” Darkness’ mind shot back to earlier this morning when Sheerness froze up when Hellvin eyes flared red at her. He didn’t show his curiosity and just focused on what was wrong with her.

“Sheerness there was nothing in your room, except broken glass.” Darkness noted.

“It was… a—a figure—.”

“Of a ghost?” Asia asked.

“A human?” Shock questioned.

“Guys! Please, stop it. Sheer how did the figure look?”

“It was smoky… gray… with piercing red eyes.” The girls gasped and Darkness got suspicious about this smoky figure. “Are you sure?”

Sheerness snapped her eyes onto her brother. “What do you mean if _are you sure_?! A freaking red eyed _thing_ broke through my room window and attacked me. How unsure could I be?!!” she shouted. The room fell quiet and only Sheer’s heavy breathing could be heard. She pulled her knees up to her chest and shook her head. “How did no one hear that?” she asked herself more than anyone there.

“Hear what?” Asia questioned

“It—it called my name… just like it did in the park.”

“What park?” Asia murmured.

“Was it Willow Park?” Divia asked.

“Maybe it was Mableton Park?” Shock suggested.

“It was on earth.”

“Oh earth? You were on earth? When the hex was this?” Darkness growled standing up, he was mad beyond compare with her. “When did you go to earth Sheerness?”

“Why does it matter to you? I’m the big sister here!”

“Yeah, you weren’t the big sister a second ago.” Sheer gasped at him and Darkness saw oncoming tears in her eyes. He sighed and raked a hand back through his curly black hair “I’m sorry Sheer.”

“It’s okay.”

“Maybe we should just call mom and dad and tell them about what happened.”

“NO!”

All eyes went to Sweetness as she chuckled nervously. “What? Our parents don’t leave the house that often and if they do the girls are always here.” She said trying to justify her rebuttable towards calling their parents. Sheerness sat back down in the middle of the couch and brought her knees back up against her chest and hugged a cushion to her. Frank and Selene sat at her sides while Darkness sat on the wooden coffee table. Shocks sat right next to him and Asia, Minka and Divia all sat on the single chair, with Minka and Asia on the arms of the red couch. Sweetness sighed and flopped back into the other single couch.

“Well, at least you’re okay Sheerness.” Shock said trying to lighten the mood. “Except for her being slightly traumatized.” Frank added, his twin brother glared at him and he glared back just as hard.

“Hey, your shades are off.” Sheerness noted. “You look terrible.” Selene chuckled and Frank knocked her shoulder as the three friends started laughing.

 

 

 

~Sheer’s POV~

I looked around at the full room and then a thought popped into my head. “Wait, Darkness, how’d you know that I was in trouble?”

“Are you crazy? I heard you screaming from the time I drove up to the house.”

“But the wind picked up, it was almost like a hurricane force winds out there.”

“There wasn’t any wind while we were driving up to the house Sheery.”

“Yeah, and we saw the door open and got worried—it’s very unlike you to leave the front door open.” Selene said as she smiled sheepishly at me—because I was glaring at her. “Well, what now?” Divia asked, folding her arms over her chest.

“Excuse me Divia, but the last time I checked I was the diva in this town.” Selene said in reaction to Divia.

“Oh really? Well, now there’s a new _diva_ in town and it’s not you.” Selene gasped as she touched a hand to her chest, in a scorned manner.

“You will regret those words. And I swear no one kicks the queen off her throne.” She retaliated.

“Trust me, if you don’t look hard enough I’ll have kicked you off and crowned myself the new queen diva.” She seethed.

“Try it, I dare you.” Selene had death in her eyes and if I was sure, I could have sworn that Divia cringed a tad. “Ok, kill the diva fight girls, you’re both from the same bloodline and family so quit trying to be the queen,” Sweetness said, jumping in on the bickering cousins, “it’s clear that you both were born with queenliness within your beings, now quit it.”

Selene hissed at her cousin and turned away from her. “So, anyways we know Frank and I are here to sleep over for the time being, so why are you Youngblood’s here?” Youngblood is like when humans call new high schoolers freshmen, in some ways its demeaning but a lot of the older ghouls used the term.

“I’m not a Youngblood.” Shock stated. Selene rolled her eyes. “Don’t care.”

“We’re also here to stay over.” All eyes turned to Minka, who had been quiet up till now. “Umm, what’s wrong?” her voice was so nibble and low that I felt almost like I needed to defend her from everyone who was gawking at her. “Guys, it’s getting late, we should order some pizza and watch movies until we all fall asleep.” I propose. Minka sighed a sign of relief and I hid my smile. “So… do we agree?”

Everyone mumbled their agreement and I put on a smile and stood up. “Good, I’ll call the pizza place then.” I walked off towards the kitchen to get the phone. Oh mother, why’d you have to put an old-timey phone in the house. It was one of those phones with the long cord and the circular dialing method. “Hey big sis.”

“Hey Dark.”

“Are you alright?”

I took a moment to let that question sink in and then tried to look for a positive answer but I couldn’t hide it, I was still scared—still trying to stable myself for the sight I just saw moments ago. I felt tipsy—almost dizzy with nausea as my mind tried to push my emotions away. “Hey there,” Darkness came forward and held me as I broke silently. “It’s okay, I’m here. I won’t let that thing come near you again. Not as long as I live.” He whispered. I hugged my arms around his waist and he kissed the top of my head. Since Wickedness left for earth a few years ago Darkness has always be there for all of us, even when he was busy with his own life. He pretty much had to grow up at a young age since he was the only other male in our family, exempt from our father.

He never let us down, not even a little. “I love you pumpkin head.”

“I love you too curly top.”

He chuckled and squeezed me. “Don’t ever call me that in public.”

“Promise—if you don’t me pumpkin head.”

“Deal.” We pulled back and winked at me. “If anything or anyone bothers you, just tell me okay.”

“Yes _big_ brother.” I exaggerate playfully.

“Don’t mock me.” He quipped.

“So, what pizza do you want?” a small smile tipped up the edge of my lip and Darkness hugged me to his side as he told me everyone’s order.

~Sheer's POV~

Music class was filled with Minka being red faced and quiet all day, Darkness being a cocky ass with his smirking and annoying nature, other students joking around with the instruments and sir getting a little bit too aggravated. So, basically to sum this up, class was TERRIBLE!

I stormed out of that class so fast, that I shoved open the doors so hard that they hit the wall and I think it cracked slightly.

The halls were already crowded with other students but I didn't care, I began to match off down the hall, but a hand grasped mine, I angrily yanked my hand away and snapped around to face Darkness.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Freak off Darkness!" I barked, whipping back around to start walking off again. He pulled me back before I had time to walk away—I shoved him away. "Come on Sheer, I was just messing around." He said, trying to justify his actions by claiming he was joking around.

"Yeah, well I think you're lying—you were doing that on purpose Darkness!"

"Look, quit yelling." he said pulling me from the middle of the hallway to the side by some lockers. “Can't you take a joke sis?” I glared at him and he held up his hands in defense. “I love you.” He tried, I rolled my eyes and he pulled me against him as he hugged me. I chuckled at him and pushed him away. “You’re not getting away with this, you know that right?” he chuckled and brushed the hair on my forehead away and kissed my forehead.

“You suck.”

He laughs and drapes his arm over my shoulders as he pulls me close to his side. “I know Sheerness, I know.”

“You know you made Minka extremely uncomfortable right?” I asked looking up at him—he was a few inches taller than me even though he is younger than me. He bit his lip and looked at me. “Yeah, I should probably apologize right?” I nodded my head and he tried not to smile when he did so. “Jerk.” I stated, elbowing him in his side. He giggled and started walking with me down the hall towards the lunchroom.

 

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

 

We got the lunchroom to find it completely filled to the rim. “Wow.”

“Yeah, there are a lot of new students here. Before Summer’s peak our school got credited as the most well established school in the state.”

“Why do you know all of this?”

“I read, when I’m not doing anything.” I shake my head at him and move from under his arm. “Well I’m gonna find my friends, bye-bye now.” I turned and started walking away from him.

Lunch period was so crazy. A Wicked and a Monster got into an argument, then that started a physical fight and then it led into a food fight—the two of them had to be pinned down to the ground by the security guards. Our headmistress wasn’t pleased in the least.

The fight had gotten so out of control that they had to release school early because of the damage done to some of the rooms—oh yeah didn’t I mention they smashed through some walls while they were fighting like humans pigs. There was so much buzz going on after the fight that the teachers had a hard time calming us all down so they released us earlier than expected.

My first day back was kinda awesome—excluding Darkness’ unexpected behavior today in music class. It was strange and well, kind of different of him, but then again he does have our mother’s sense of humor plus a dark mind, which is a bad combo. All in all it was… okay.

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

~Narration~

Selene and Sheer were busy talking about what happened in the lunchroom as Frank drove to Sheer’s house. “So, when are your parents leaving for their trip Sheer?” Selene asked as she looked at herself in her compact mirror.

“Umm, I don’t know—actually my dad texted me earlier, but I never got around to reading it. I’m gonna read it now.”

Sheer takes her cell out and opens the message and reads her father’s message:

‘ _Sheerness, your mother and I have left for our three day trip, we expect you to look after the twins and make sure that they don’t do anything wild. Lustfulness, Pureness and Kindness are all with us, so you are in charge._

_I texted the twins after I sent you this message, they know about this, so please don’t destroy the house before we get back._

_Love Dad_ ’

She exited the text and smiled to herself. “What’s did the text say Sheer?” Selene asked as she closed her mirror.

“It said that I’m basically home alone with the twins for three days.” Sheer announces happily.

“OMGS, do you know what that means?” Selene said smiling deviously. Sheer rolls her eyes at her and goes through her cell. “Selene, we are not throwing a party.” Sheer said, discouraging all Selene’s naughty thoughts of throwing a super-out-of-control party. Selene pouted at her and sighed.

“Then what do you wanna do Sheer? When do you get this type of freedom?”

“I just don’t wanna get in trouble, you know what my punishment will be if I do throw a party.”

“Okay, so what do you wanna do then?” Frank asked as he parked infront of her house. Sheer shrugged her shoulders and slouched back in the front seat. “I don’t know, let’s just go inside.” Frank turns off the car and they all leave the car and walk up the front stairs. Sheer feels the chill of the wind, but looks around and doesn’t see the trees shaking or anything. She brushes it off and unlocks the front door, Selene and Frank follow Sheer into the empty house—apparently the twins weren’t home yet. “Do you think I should call the twins?”

“For what?” Selene asks modeling her way into the living room.

“To see where they are, duh.” Selene rolls her eyes and comes over to sit her royal behind down on the single chair. Sheer passes by her and dumps her handbag on her bestfriends lap; Selene gasps and scolds at her. “Sheerness.” She groans.

“You called me?” Sheer asked as she turned around, Selene glares heat at her and Sheer actually chuckles as she walks off. “Oh stop being a sour vamp.” She huffed and Sheer kept on walking, going into the kitchen directly after the living room.

Selene folded her arms over her chest and sat there watching around the room to see the details and furniture seeming… different. She looked at Frank to see him banging his head to the music playing in his earphones. “Hey Sheer.” Selene called.

“Yes, sour vamp?”

“Umm, did your parents change the living room or something?” Sheer peeked her head out of the kitchen to look at Selene. “Uh, actually if you noticed, the whole house is ‘changed up’. My parents always reimage the house before leaving on a trip—they’ve changed it so much that I’ve even forgotten how many times that they did it.” Selene sighed and stood up from the chair and walked around the new Victorian styled living room. “Do your parents like the human Victorian era?”

“Yes, remember, my parents lived in the human world many centuries ago and they saw the Victorian era as it bloomed and I think they admired it more when they were in Great Britain and in America.”

“Your parents were together since those times?”

“Very much so,” Sheer said walking out of the kitchen with three cups of ice scream. “My parents were in love from day one—they hated each other when they first crossed paths and both of them just knew that they’d be together forever.” She turns to face Sheer and takes one of the cups of ice scream. “How does that even happen? Love at first hatred?”

Sheer chuckled and sits down in the chair opposite Selene’s. “Yeah, well it’s complicated, but I guess they had that feeling of ‘I love you, but I hate you too’, “its love vamp, it’s complicated, it was never meant to be easy and if it was well, what’s the point?”

“What do you mean what’s the point? Easy love should be great, right?” she asked sitting back down in the chair. Sheer takes a spoonful of the ice scream and sighs. “If you have to ask vamp, then you’re not ready for the answer.” Selene huffs out at that and eats her ice scream with an annoyed look on. “I’m bored Sheer.”

“Well, then go jump off a cliff.” Frank suggests

“Why don’t you go dig a grave and lie in Franken-dead!”

“Really, that is so cruel. At least you can actually fly, and I’m not living dead.”

“Yeah, says your bolts coming from your neck—they might be invisible but that still doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.” She quipped. Sheerness was ignoring this bicker—as she always did because she was still thinking back to yesterday and this morning when she and Hellvin clashed, just slightly.

Red eyes, but how?

“Frankie?”

“Yes, Sheery?”

“What did my mom tell you about what happened yesterday?” she wasn’t even looking at him, but looking straightforward while she asked him this. “Wait, what happened yesterday?” Selene asked them. Neither of them answered her and this started to tick her off. “Someone better answer me now or I’ll make both of you tell me by force.” The silence stretched on for a while till Frank decided to speak up. “Okay, so yesterday I took Sheer with me to the human world?”

“THE HUMAN WORLD? ARE YOU MAD FRANK STEIN?!!” Selene yelled as she shot up from her chair, eyes flaring red as her fangs grew out. Sheer glanced up at her and gasped as she froze. “Selene quit it with the red eyes, you’re scaring her!!” he yelled, getting up to go to Sheer’s side.

“Hey Sheerypie are you okay?” She shook her head and he wrapped his arms around her. Selene calmed down once she saw that Sheer was really frightened and quivering in Frank’s arms. “Oh my Goddesses Sheer… I—I didn’t mean to.” She came and knelt infront of her besides Frank and rested a hand on her knee. She looks at Frank with a sober expression and guilt in her dark eyes. “Frankie, what happened to her?”

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

After Frank and Selene calmed Sheerness back down, Frank sat down and told Selene about what went down while on earth, and then told both girls about what Mrs. Madness said about the Power Theft’s. “Wow Sheer, this is mega out of this world serious. So, what are you gonna do?”

“Mrs. Madness suggested that she watch her back and that if she has to go out anywhere that she always goes with someone.”

“Okay, well I’m sleeping over until your parents get back. Frankie are you staying too?” she asked pulling out her cell. He nodded and Selene dialed up her father’s number.

“Hello, daddy? Hi, I’ll be staying over at Sheer’s okay, her parents are out of town with her older sisters and it’s just her and the twins. Yeah, I know but I’ll come home for some clothes daddy. Yes. I’m staying over because there are Power Theft’s marking her. Yes, yes daddy it’s terrifying for her, but we’ll be here to make sure that she’s protected. Yes, I’ll call if we need help. Love you daddy, bye-bye. Tell my mother’s I said goodnight.” She clicked off the call and turned back to her friends who were hiding their smiles.

“What? My daddy and I have a good bond.” They chuckled and Sheer stood up from the chair and picked up her bag from the floor where Selene had set it down. “I’m going upstairs, you coming?”

“Wait we have to go over to my place for some clothes.” Frank sighed and stood up from his perch, do I have to drive? Can’t you fly home and come back?”

“Dude, it’s kind of sunny outside, it’ll get a sun burn.”

“But it won’t kill you.”

“Yeah, but I’ll be peeling away at cracked skin for a week if I fly, please Frankie?” she said pouting out her bottom lip like a baby. Frank gave in and started walking towards the door. “Sheer, are you coming?”

“You guys will be just a few minutes, I’ll be alright, and besides Darkness should be on his way home all now, so you guys can go get your stuff.”

“Sheer are you sure?” Selene looked worried. Sheer walked up to her and smiled reassuringly and rested her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I’ll be fine vamp, I promise.” She turned her around and Frank sighed and gave her a curious glare. Sheer glanced up at him. “Dude, my mom has a protection shield over this house. I’ll be fine. Now go before it gets too late.” She shooed her friends out the door and watched as they got in the car and sped off down the road.

 

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Something was still unnerving Sheer so she decided to call her brother to see where he was. She pulled out her cell and dialed Darkness’ number.

‘Yes?’

‘Where are you?’

‘On my way home, why?’

‘How long will you take?’

‘A few minutes.’

‘Ok, then, well I’m home alone so hurry get here.’

‘Ok Sheerness. Bye.’

‘Bye.’

She clicked off the call and went inside, shutting and locking the door after her. She leaned back against the door and looked around at the new style of her home and smiled at her parents design choice. The black and red really made the place look like a vampire’s household. She chuckled at the thought and pushed off from the door. She got her bag and went upstairs to her room.

She pushed open her room door to see her room completely recolored and was beyond impressed. “Wow, A+ mom.” She chuckled. She hung her bag on the back of the door and went over to her music player, she turned it on and flipped through the music choices, she came to a song that she has hardly played and turned it on, the low drum beats of ‘Counting sheep to the rhythm of the war drums’, by ‘A Perfect Circle’ started playing. “… safe from pain, and truth, and trust, and the poison devils…” she sang as she took her shoes off and exchanged them for slippers.

Sheerness was busy dancing and singing along to the song and didn’t notice as the wind picked up outside. She turned around to change the song and halted when furious red eyes greeted her from the tree outside her window. The eyes seemed as if they were coming closer and closer to her, she moved back slowly—eyes still trained on the pair of eyes that continued coming closer. The wind outside grew stronger and stronger, and then the eyes vanished.

Sheerness hesitated for a short moment as silence fell over the whole room. She breathed out in relief. The window crashed open—throwing shards of glass forward as a smoky figure with burning red eyes reached for her. Sheerness shrieked—frozen no more as she ran for the door.

It was locked!

_‘Sheerness…’_

She pulled the doorknob with all her might as she screamed at the top of her lungs. She crouched down against the wall besides her bedside table holding her head down as she tried to shut out her eminent death.

The figure got closer and closer to her and just when the hands of the figure were about to grab for her, her door flew open and the figure vanished within the blink of an eye. Sheerness screamed when strong arms encircled her. “Let go! Let me go! Get off!!!”

“Sheerness! Sheerness! It’s me Darkness!” her brother announced as he tried to get her to calm down. “No… no…” she wept against his chest as he held her tight to him. Darkness looked around the room to see shards of glass scattered near the window, but the glass was completely intact. He held his sister close as her crying calmed down.

Footsteps sounded from down the hall. Frank, Selene, and Sweetness ran up to Sheerness’ room to see her weeping in Darkness’ arms as they both knelt on the floor of her bedroom. The trio took in the sight of the room, seeing the glass shards and the semi-disheveled room. They all shared troubled glances, wondering what could have happened while they were gone.

“Shh, Sheerness, you’re safe now” Darkness pulled back, brushed away tendrils of her hair back and held her face in his palms, “hey, are you okay?” tears ran down her cheeks as she shook her head. No, it was the first time those eyes had ever threatened her, the first time the ever formed a shape and attempted to attack her.

“Sheery…?” Frank called. She didn’t acknowledge him she only buried her face back against her brother’s chest as he embraced her. He hugged her as she shook in his arms and thought of calling their parents, sadly he had no clue why she was this terrified. Darkness pushed back from Sheer a little and picked her up as he stood up; she hugged him around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her out of her room. “Let’s get her out of this room.” Darkness said as he walked towards the stairs, followed by Selene, Frank and Sweetness.

Shock, Divia, Minka and Asia stood up from the couch as soon as they saw Darkness coming down the stairs with Sheerness in his arms.

“What’s wrong with Sheerness?” Divia asked as she walked towards them.

“We don’t know, now excuse me.” He went over to the living room and laid her down on the couch. The eight of them surrounded Sheerness on the couch. “Guys, quit crowding her up. Give her some air.”

“The eyes… the eyes.” Sheer whispered as she sat up.

“Sheer, what eyes?” her brother asked as he touched her arm.

She turned to Darkness, a tear escaped her eye. “The red eyes…” Darkness’ mind shot back to earlier this morning when Sheerness froze up when Hellvin eyes flared red at her. He didn’t show his curiosity and just focused on what was wrong with her.

“Sheerness there was nothing in your room, except broken glass.” Darkness noted.

“It was… a—a figure—.”

“Of a ghost?” Asia asked.

“A human?” Shock questioned.

“Guys! Please, stop it. Sheer how did the figure look?”

“It was smoky… gray… with piercing red eyes.” The girls gasped and Darkness got suspicious about this smoky figure. “Are you sure?”

Sheerness snapped her eyes onto her brother. “What do you mean if _are you sure_?! A freaking red eyed _thing_ broke through my room window and attacked me. How unsure could I be?!!” she shouted. The room fell quiet and only Sheer’s heavy breathing could be heard. She pulled her knees up to her chest and shook her head. “How did no one hear that?” she asked herself more than anyone there.

“Hear what?” Asia questioned

“It—it called my name… just like it did in the park.”

“What park?” Asia murmured.

“Was it Willow Park?” Divia asked.

“Maybe it was Mableton Park?” Shock suggested.

“It was on earth.”

“Oh earth? You were on earth? When the hex was this?” Darkness growled standing up, he was mad beyond compare with her. “When did you go to earth Sheerness?”

“Why does it matter to you? I’m the big sister here!”

“Yeah, you weren’t the big sister a second ago.” Sheer gasped at him and Darkness saw oncoming tears in her eyes. He sighed and raked a hand back through his curly black hair “I’m sorry Sheer.”

“It’s okay.”

“Maybe we should just call mom and dad and tell them about what happened.”

“NO!”

All eyes went to Sweetness as she chuckled nervously. “What? Our parents don’t leave the house that often and if they do the girls are always here.” She said trying to justify her rebuttable towards calling their parents. Sheerness sat back down in the middle of the couch and brought her knees back up against her chest and hugged a cushion to her. Frank and Selene sat at her sides while Darkness sat on the wooden coffee table. Shocks sat right next to him and Asia, Minka and Divia all sat on the single chair, with Minka and Asia on the arms of the red couch. Sweetness sighed and flopped back into the other single couch.

“Well, at least you’re okay Sheerness.” Shock said trying to lighten the mood. “Except for her being slightly traumatized.” Frank added, his twin brother glared at him and he glared back just as hard.

“Hey, your shades are off.” Sheerness noted. “You look terrible.” Selene chuckled and Frank knocked her shoulder as the three friends started laughing.

 

 

 

~Sheer’s POV~

I looked around at the full room and then a thought popped into my head. “Wait, Darkness, how’d you know that I was in trouble?”

“Are you crazy? I heard you screaming from the time I drove up to the house.”

“But the wind picked up, it was almost like a hurricane force winds out there.”

“There wasn’t any wind while we were driving up to the house Sheery.”

“Yeah, and we saw the door open and got worried—it’s very unlike you to leave the front door open.” Selene said as she smiled sheepishly at me—because I was glaring at her. “Well, what now?” Divia asked, folding her arms over her chest.

“Excuse me Divia, but the last time I checked I was the diva in this town.” Selene said in reaction to Divia.

“Oh really? Well, now there’s a new _diva_ in town and it’s not you.” Selene gasped as she touched a hand to her chest, in a scorned manner.

“You will regret those words. And I swear no one kicks the queen off her throne.” She retaliated.

“Trust me, if you don’t look hard enough I’ll have kicked you off and crowned myself the new queen diva.” She seethed.

“Try it, I dare you.” Selene had death in her eyes and if I was sure, I could have sworn that Divia cringed a tad. “Ok, kill the diva fight girls, you’re both from the same bloodline and family so quit trying to be the queen,” Sweetness said, jumping in on the bickering cousins, “it’s clear that you both were born with queenliness within your beings, now quit it.”

Selene hissed at her cousin and turned away from her. “So, anyways we know Frank and I are here to sleep over for the time being, so why are you Youngblood’s here?” Youngblood is like when humans call new high schoolers freshmen, in some ways its demeaning but a lot of the older ghouls used the term.

“I’m not a Youngblood.” Shock stated. Selene rolled her eyes. “Don’t care.”

“We’re also here to stay over.” All eyes turned to Minka, who had been quiet up till now. “Umm, what’s wrong?” her voice was so nibble and low that I felt almost like I needed to defend her from everyone who was gawking at her. “Guys, it’s getting late, we should order some pizza and watch movies until we all fall asleep.” I propose. Minka sighed a sign of relief and I hid my smile. “So… do we agree?”

Everyone mumbled their agreement and I put on a smile and stood up. “Good, I’ll call the pizza place then.” I walked off towards the kitchen to get the phone. Oh mother, why’d you have to put an old-timey phone in the house. It was one of those phones with the long cord and the circular dialing method. “Hey big sis.”

“Hey Dark.”

“Are you alright?”

I took a moment to let that question sink in and then tried to look for a positive answer but I couldn’t hide it, I was still scared—still trying to stable myself for the sight I just saw moments ago. I felt tipsy—almost dizzy with nausea as my mind tried to push my emotions away. “Hey there,” Darkness came forward and held me as I broke silently. “It’s okay, I’m here. I won’t let that thing come near you again. Not as long as I live.” He whispered. I hugged my arms around his waist and he kissed the top of my head. Since Wickedness left for earth a few years ago Darkness has always be there for all of us, even when he was busy with his own life. He pretty much had to grow up at a young age since he was the only other male in our family, exempt from our father.

He never let us down, not even a little. “I love you pumpkin head.”

“I love you too curly top.”

He chuckled and squeezed me. “Don’t ever call me that in public.”

“Promise—if you don’t me pumpkin head.”

“Deal.” We pulled back and winked at me. “If anything or anyone bothers you, just tell me okay.”

“Yes _big_ brother.” I exaggerate playfully.

“Don’t mock me.” He quipped.

“So, what pizza do you want?” a small smile tipped up the edge of my lip and Darkness hugged me to his side as he told me everyone’s order.


	9. To be or not to be... is that the question?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Werid sights have been seen and worry is settling amount the group of teens.

~Narration~  
Everyone was chilling out eating pizza and making jokes while Sheerness had her head in the clouds, she was still distracted by the events of the day—the sun was setting now, but she could barely see it because of all the trees infront the house.  
Sheerness looked back at her friends and everyone else there and didn’t feel like joining in so she walked down the hallway that lead to the back door, she paused halfway down the hall, near a small table, looking at the two walls. Something was missing, she thought as she searched but saw nothing rang any bells. She shrugged off the feeling and continued down the hall.  
Selene saw when Sheerness left and left the room after her, too worried to leave her bestfriend alone. She slowly walked down the hallway, making her way to the back door and seeing Sheerness sitting down at the stairs with her head rested against the frame of the porch railing. Selene stepped onto the large wraparound porch. Sheerness recognized the sound of those heels tapping against the wooden floor and she sighed as they came closer. “Hey Sheery.”  
“Hey vamp.” Selene smiled at her and stood by the railing, leaning her elbows down of it as she watched the sun fall. “It’s so beautiful.”  
“Yeah… do you ever wonder if any humans have been to it?”  
“It’s impossible. The heat would kill them before they even get half close to being halfway close to it.” They laughed and Selene pushed up from the railing and came over to the stairs where she sat down next to her bestfriend.  
Selene and Sheerness sat in a peaceful quiet on the stairs as they watched the sun going down.  
They’d sat there for only a few minutes but neither of them felt like moving. This little moment was just too priceless to let slip away, the bad news that Sheerness received prior to tonight was just nerve wrecking and unsettling. It made her antsy everytime she remembered walking alone towards the park, how she felt as she sensed a watchful gaze on her. She managed to distract herself by thinking of Selene’s and her friendship.  
Selene and Sheerness have been bestfriends since before they were born. That's only possible because their mothers have been friends since childhood.  
Sheerness’ mother and Selene’s mother Verona actually got pregnant with them at the same time. Unfortunately Selene was born first and Sheerness a day after.  
Some years they would celebrate their birthdays together from 8pm to 4am so that they’d celebrate both theirs together.  
Their friendship has always been the two of them, but since Sheerness’ encounter with Frank, it has extended to one more ghoul… and well clearly that ghoul is Frank. They all love their little trio that they’ve created, it was small and comfy… unless Selene and Frank started after each other.  
Sheerness sighed and rested her head on Selene’s cool shoulder. She sighed too and rested her head on Sheerness’. “I’m bored, let’s get Frankie and have him take us to the mall, so we can at least say we’re having fun." Selene suggested.  
Sheerness grumbled unintelligently at her, and made no move to call Frank, and just watched Drayus move about in his sleep.  
Selene giggles as Drayus scratches his nose and snores loudly. "That's so cute." She giggles. "He's so lazy." Sheerness says giggling at Drayus.  
“Poor Drayus, he's so tired.” Selene cooed.  
Sheerness squishes up my nose at that. “Nah, he's seriously just that lazy.”  
"You know that I can hear you girls, right? I’m sleepy, not deaf.” Sheerness and Selene froze and tried to stifle their laughter as Drayus sat up from his patch of grass on the lawn. "That's not funny; we dragons are very leisurely creatures." He explains matter-of-factly.  
“Yeah, if leisurely is another word for lazy.” Sheerness quipped. The girls began giggling again at the dragon. Drayus turned onto his feet and shook himself. “Laugh all you want and girls, but I will be urged to burn your hair off again—and on purpose this time.” He said sweetly, trying not to laugh.  
Sheerness glared at him, remembering when she was ten and she accidently hit him with a softball and he got frightened and roared fire at her and caused her to wear a short bob the whole year until her hair grew back—thankfully her mother’s growth serum help to speed up the process.  
“Whatever Drayus, hey Selene let’s go back inside and leave Drayus to himself.” Sheerness suggested as she moved to get up. Selene nodded and stood up too. “Wait, are you two just gonna leave me here without anyone to bother?” he asked sadly.  
The girls shared a look. “Yes.” They answered in unison.  
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop being a pest, just… keep me company.” The girls shared quizzical looks then sat back down. “So lazy dragon what do you want to talk about?”  
“I do not know, you’re the ones whom had a frightful day, so you start the conversation.” The girls looked at one another then back at Drayus. “What do you mean?” Sheerness asked as she stared at Drayus.  
“Oh you know.” He said gesturing with his large paw. “The screaming and window shattering, I heard it all but I thought it was just a prank being pulled… it was a prank right?” he asked, suspiciously now.  
Sheerness shook her head. “It wasn’t a prank Drayus, it was something much worse than a simple prank.” Sheerness sat up and ran back inside, Selene didn’t wait as she ran after her and Drayus sat there lost at what the problem was.  
Sheerness stopped in the living room to see that everyone was still sitting there calmly conversing and she found it quite odd, but dismissed it. “What’s wrong Sheery?” Frank asked as he sat forward. She was trying to find the words and shook her head and just decided to blurt out what she had on her mind. “Drayus heard the incident.” Darkness stood up and approached her. “How, none of us heard it. So how did he?”  
“I don’t know, I guess it must be a dragon thing, but I—I don’t know. Should we ask him how he heard?” she asked. Darkness was contemplating for a second and then nodded a yes and took his older sister by the wrist as he tugged her along. Selene and Frank followed after the two siblings as they marched to the back door.  
Darkness exited the backdoor and marched up next to Drayus. “Hey, we need to talk to you.” Drayus, who as on his back turned to see his owners standing beside him, “Ah, my two favorite Madness’, what may I help you with?” he asked as he looked at them tranquilly.  
“Sheerness said that you heard when she screamed, but no one else did, how is that possible?”  
“Oh Darkness you naïve little boy, you live in the land of the impossibilities and dragons have very sharp hearing, better than vampires and others too numerous to mention.” Sheerness and her brother exchanged glances and she shook her head. “But…” she trailed off and looked up at Drayus, “Did you see anything?” it was just above a whisper but Drayus heard her. “Young hatter, of course I did.”  
“Well!” she freaked, “What did you see?”  
“Oh, oh yes, it was a black shadowy figure with red eyes. Way too fast for me to decipher a form. Sorry dear, but that was all.” Sheerness let out a sigh of exhaustion and shook her head. “Thanks though.”  
“No problem at all, now if you’ll excuse me, I need my late afternoon nap.” He said before turning his back to the pair and closing his eyes.  
Sheerness was at a loss and so was Darkness, but at least they had some kind of evidence to go on. And thankfully she wasn’t the only person that saw the red eyes. She didn’t feel at peace but she sure didn’t feel like she was alone anymore. She turned to her brother and sighed. “What the hex do we do with that now?” she asked.  
“We run with it, whatever’s bothering you is clearly out for blood and that’s not a good thing.”  
“What do we do?” Selene asked walking up to them.  
“Well, they already stalked you into the human world, traumatized you into shock, haunted you in school and tried to scare the life out of you at home. I think we should call mom and dad and tell them about this now before it gets too much for us to handle—it’s already too much you to handle and I’m not gonna just stand around to see my sister killed by some thief.” He was right Sheerness thought as she processed what he said.  
“Let’s go inside guys, it’s getting late and it’s not a good night to be out.” Frank said as he held the door open for his friends. The three of them walked to the door, but Sheerness stopped and looked back at Drayus. “Drayus, will you be alright out here?”  
“I’m an old but powerful dragon dear Sheerness, I’ll be alright. Go take care of yourself.” She said sleepily. She nodded at him and went inside after her brother. Frank, Selene, Darkness and Sheerness walked back into the living room and the others all turned to them. “What happened, did he really hear what went on with Sheer?” Sweetness asked as she from her seat.  
“He heard what happened and he also saw a figure, he said it was smoky black with red eyes.” Darkness explained.  
“And why didn’t he do something?”  
“He thought it was a prank.” Selene whispered from behind them.  
Darkness shook his head. “Anyways, we’re calling mom and dad.”  
“NO!” all eyes fell upon Sweetness as the room fell silent. “What…? I j—just don’t think it’s that serious, that we need to call mother and father back home so soon from their travels.” She whispered softly.  
“We’re calling them.” Darkness said, his voice making it final.  
He pulled out his cell phone and then walked to the kitchen door. He sighs and then slowly close his eyes, only to open them as a shock of red flashes through them. “Mother, father, if you’re there please call back, there is something happening to Sheerness and we’re all at a loss.”  
“So, what now?” it was Minka that spoke up from her corner and had everyone looking her way.  
“Order take out?” Shocks asked as he walked towards Darkness. I thought for a second, then shook my head. “Yeah, we can talk over pizza.” Sheerness agreed as she sat down, deep in concentration.


End file.
